Wu invites Manny to join ’16 Olympics

MANILA, Philippines - In a revolutionary step that could change the global landscape of the fight game, International Boxing Association (AIBA) president Dr. Wu Ching-Kuo said the other day he is opening the doors of the Olympics to ring icons like Manny Pacquiao with the age limit extended from 34 to 40 but to qualify, fighters must enlist in the soon-to-be-launched AIBA Professional Boxing (APB) where they become exclusive residents.

Dr. Wu arrived in Manila from Taipei last Monday with special assistant Petrus Filippi and were met at the airport by ABAP secretary-general Patrick Gregorio and logistics director Andrew Teh. They were then whisked to Subic in an Augusta 8-seat helicopter for the 5 p.m. opening ceremony of the Asian Youth Boxing Championships. Dr. Wu flew to Hong Kong yesterday in a Global XRS jet piloted by PLDT aviation head Capt. Philip Mallari on PLDT chairman Manny V. Pangilinan’s invitation.

“We are initiating change in world boxing,” said the 66-year-old Dr. Wu who took over as AIBA president in 2006 and joined the IOC Executive Board last year. “We are introducing many things to clean up the sport and to standardize the conduct of competitions at different levels. At the end of the last Olympics, we at AIBA discussed where we could improve because we want everything to be perfect. No corruption, no manipulation. That’s why we expelled and suspended several referees and technical officials in London.”

AIBA’s move towards professionalism began two years ago through the team-oriented World Series of Boxing (WSB) where fighters battle without headguards and vests in five-round bouts under a 10-point must scoring system. The top 10 fighters of the team competitions in five weight categories then vie for individual honors in seven-round finals. The five WSB champions in the inaugural season gained automatic slots at the London Olympics. There were 218 fighters who participated in the first WSB season marked by 12 franchises and 390 bouts televised in 80 countries. The third WSB season is now underway and nearing the playoff stage. Dr. Wu said there are plans to expand WSB to 16 franchises with interest coming from several countries including Turkey and Thailand.

Dr. Wu said the APB’s formation is the next step towards completing the cycle where a boxer can build a career with AIBA from the junior (15-16) to youth (17-18) to elite levels until he reaches 40. For the 2016 Olympics, Dr. Wu said AIBA is allocating 70 slots for APB and 30 for WSB qualifiers.

“I hope to someday meet with Congressman Pacquiao and explain AIBA’s vision,” said Dr. Wu. “I would like to invite Congressman Pacquiao to join the APB and become eligible to qualify for the Olympics. He would be a rare exception. I wish to share AIBA’s dreams with Congressman Pacquiao who in turn, if he believes it worthwhile, could encourage fighters from all over the world to join in our crusade.”

Under usual conditions, only professionals with less than 15 fights may revert to the APB and compete in the national, continental and world championships. Once fighters join the APB, they are no longer allowed to compete for any other governing body or promoter. The bonus is they become eligible to fight in the Olympics. APB fighters will be paid salaries and also earn purses whenever they compete.

Dr. Wu said AIBA is not out to clash with the WBC or WBA or WBO or IBF. “They have been around for decades while we are just starting with our goal of lifting up the standards of the sport and preserving the integrity of boxing,” he said. “We want to offer fighters who begin with us in the junior and youth levels the opportunity to stay with us as professionals without losing their Olympic dreams.”

Dr. Wu said the Asian Youth Boxing Championships is significant in that it showcases the outstanding elite fighters of the future from the region. “This is the foundation,” he said. “Youth fighters are only a year away from entering the elite level. Besides, there is now the Youth Olympics and qualifying for this event is a goal for all youth boxers.”

The success of the introduction of women’s boxing in the London Olympics has prompted Dr. Wu to consider expanding the program for the Rio de Janeiro Games. A possibility is enlarging the competition from three weight divisions of 12 fighters each to six weight divisions of eight fighters each. Other changes are being considered for the boxing program in 2016 as Dr. Wu said AIBA continues to conceive ideas to upgrade the quality of the competition. 

“This year, AIBA will inaugurate a new $33 Million training center in Kazakhstan offering courses for fighters, referees, judges and officials on a year-round basis,” said Dr. Wu. “At the moment, AIBA has seven five-star referees-judges and we’re looking to upgrade the top three-star referees-judges from our pool of 200 to 300. AIBA will pay salaries to full-time referees-judges so that no one will be beholden to a national federation.”