Olympics-bound Barriga, Phl pugs train at ALA Gym

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu's fabled ALA Boxing Gym has lend its helping hand to the Philippine amateur pugilists who will fight for the flag and country in next month's London Olympics.

In a very kind gesture, Cebuano boxing patron Antonio ‘Bidoy’ L. Aldeguer has allowed the members of the Phl team to train at his world-renowned sweat shop that has already minted several world champions and is home to some of the country's brightest ring stars today in the mold of two-division world titlist Donnie 'Ahas' Nietes and regional champs Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista, AJ "Bazooka" Banal and Milan "El Metodico" Melindo to name a few.

Under the watchful eyes of coach Roel Velasco, the national pugs who are in currently shaping up at the ALA Gym include the London-bound Mark Anthony Barriga, Roger Ladon, Ian Mark Bautista, Eumer Marcial and Charly Suarez.

The 19-year-old Barriga, a light flyweight prospect, is the only Filipino boxer who qualified for the 2012 London Olympics after finishing ninth overall in the International Boxing Association (AIBA) World Boxing Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan last October.

ALA Promotions president Michael P. Aldeguer said officials from the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) personally approached his father, who did not have any second thought in lending a hand to the young Olympic hopefuls.

“They approached my father and asked if the Philippine Team can train at the ALA Gym and he immediately said yes,” said Aldeguer. “This is an opportunity for us to help these young fighters and also to our country.”

“They will train for maybe a month in which they will try to develop new techniques from our trainers and to expose them by observing how our professional boxers train,” he added.

ALA chief trainer Edito Villamor said he plans to set up a sparring session between the Philippine Team and the ALA fighters to help them gain more experience inside the ring.

“We can offer some sparring so that they can also try our top caliber fighters,” said Villamor. “We will also give them some advice on how to improve their boxing techniques.” (FREEMAN)