MANILA, Philippines - The first Erap Boxing Cup explodes today at the San Andres Gym as part of the Sports Development program of the City of Manila under Mayor Joseph Estrada.
Manila Sports Council chairman and basketball legend Philip Cezar is supported in this event by the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP).
ABAP is taking the opportunity to give much-needed exposure to candidates for the SEA Games in Myanmar next month so it is fielding 12 national boxers against fighters from Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
The foreign pugs have been involved in a joint training camp with the Filipinos in the Philippine Sports Commission facility in Baguio for the past two weeks.
ABAP president Ricky Vargas welcomed the chance to help Manila jumpstart its sports program with the tournment.
“We know that Mayor Erap is an avid boxing and sports fan so we see this as a beginning of a productive and symbiotic relationship between the City of Manila and ABAP.â€
Young discoveries from the Batang Pinoy program of the Philippine Sports Commission, mostly from the Mandaluyong and Tayabas, Quezon teams, will provide the curtain-raisers.
The matches will be held at the San Andres Gym in Manila today, starting at 1 p.m.
Expected to grace the occasion aside from Mayor Estrada are Vice-Mayor Isko Moreno, Manila congressmen and councilors.
Admission is free.