21st Visayas Inter-City slugfest on today

The 21st Visayas Inter-City Developmental Age-Group Amateur Boxing Championships kicks off today at the Sunken Garden in Maasin City with archrivals Cebu City Niños and Mandaue City aiming high after their frustrating campaigns in the previous edition.

During the 20th staging of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP)-sanctioned event two months ago in Tacloban City, Mandaue ended its campaign only at third place behind Cebu City.

In that action, host Tacloban dethroned Tagbilaran City with three golds and two bronzes.

This time, Cebu City and Mandaue are expected to dominate the event as they are both hungry for the championship, which had been evasive to them lately.

Fighting for Cebu City Niños' honor and glory are KJ Pelayo in the 32 kgs. division, Marlou Tobis in 34 kgs., Donald Tubod in the 36 kgs. and Jefferson Barriga in the 38 kgs., Jende Boy Mahusay in the 40 kgs.division, Apolonio Chavez in the 42 kgs. and Jestoni Borres in the 45 kgs.

The Niños' Maasin sojourn is supported anew by the M.Lhuillier Sports Development Foundation (MLSDF) through the efforts of its dynamic executive director and multi-title basketball coach Eddie Ybañez.

Mandaue, on the other hand, will bank on the potentials of Eddie Boy Abiar (32kgs.), Gerald Suico(34kgs.), Richard Villanueva (36 kgs.), Joseph Capangpangan (38kgs.), Ricky Nuñez(40 kgs.), Christian Semblante (42kgs.), and Edcel Mike Tuñacao (45 kgs.).

Aside from host Maasin, out to give Cebu City and Mandaue a tough challenge in their respective title bids are pugilists from Talisay City-Cebu,Ormoc, Bacolod, Tagbilaran, and Toledo.