Lopez to launch new boxing quest

Former Philippine Sports Commission chairman and Manila Mayor Mel Lopez hopes to boost amateur boxing in the country once again as the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines embarks on a massive grassroots boxing development program aimed at discovering and developing more world class boxers.

"There is an urgent need to tap more potential boxing talents to follow the footsteps of Filipino boxing champions who will eventually be hanging their gloves. We have a lot of young talents, particularly in the countryside, waiting to be tapped and harnessed," said Lopez, the ABAP chairman.

The boxing program will be attuned to the needs of the 10-15-year-old bracket, honing their skills and inculcating the time-tested moral values to make them useful and productive members of society, Lopez said.

The age-group program will be similar to the programs in Cuba and some European and Russian countries where boxing hopefuls start training young for greater physical and physiological conditioning.

Well-known sportsmen and businessmen, including plastic manufacturer William Gatchalian, Carlos "Bobong" Velez of Vintage Enterprises, VicVic Villavicencio of the Triple V group of companies, Ramon Lee of the textiles and garments industry, business tycoon Lucio Tan and Ernesto Yu of Pagoda group of companies are supporting the program.

There is also positive responses from local government executives nationwide who also want to contribute to the success of boxing.

"We are at present closing our ranks with these sports leaders, on a first-come-first-served basis, as we schedule meetings regarding the program," Lopez said.

Lopez said the program was actually implemented by the defunct Manila Integrated Sports Development Council (MISCO) in the 80s.