Manila, Philippines - Nine Filipino fighters, including three women, leave for Jakarta, Indonesia tomorrow to compete in the 21st President’s Cup on July 3-8 at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Istora Senayan.
More than 200 boxers from 30 countries will be vying for top honors in different weight divisions.
In response to an invitation from Setya Novanto, president of the Indonesian Amateur Boxing Federation (PERTINA), ABAP (Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines) executive director Ed Picson assembled a topnotch contingent that included lightweight Charly Suarez (60kgs) and the country’s leading female boxers – light flyweight Josie Gabuco (48kgs), flyweight Analisa Cruz (51kgs), and bantamweight Nesthy Petecio (54kgs).
Joining Suarez, one of the country’s brightest Olympic gold medal hopes, in the men’s team are light flyweight Ian Clark Bautista (49kgs), flyweight Edillo Abrea Jr. (52kgs), bantamweight Nilo Magliquian (56kgs), light welterweight Nathaniel Montealto (64kgs), and welterweight Rheinald Michael Brina (69kgs).
The tournament, revived after a seven-year break, will serve as a tune-up for the first qualifying event for the 2012 London Olympics, the AIBA World Championships at the Heydar Aliyev Sports and Exhibition Complex in Baku, Azerbaijan from Sept. 25-Oct. 8, a gauge of the level of global competition, and a familiarity course regarding rule modifications being implemented by the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA).
“This will be a good opportunity for our boxers and coaches to find out further where our strengths and weaknesses lie so they can make the appropriate adjustments,” said ABAP president Ricky Vargas.
Heading the Smart-PLDT delegation are Picson, also the team manager, coaches Ronald Chavez, Sonny Dollente and Michel Martinez and Maria Karina Picson (official).