ABAP shifts focus to Go for Gold

Citing the lack of local competitions, the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) shifts back its focus on the grassroots level.

And what better way to attain it than to revive the association’s good, old formula — the highly-popular Go-for-Gold.

"We’ve been working mainly on training and competing in international tournaments the past years kaya there’s lack of local competitions. That’s the reason why we decided na buhayin uli ang Go-for-Gold," said ABAP president Manny Lopez when he guested in the weekly PSA Forum at the Holiday Inn hotel yesterday.

The popular boxing program from where the likes of Atlanta Olympic silver medalist Mansueto Velasco and his brother Barcelona Olympic bronze medalist Roel Velasco began their careers, ran for nine straight years before ABAP decided to shelve it in 1999 due to economic reasons.

But Lopez said a better and bigger Go-for-Gold will be back on the scene starting this Saturday in Calamba, Laguna with new broadcaster partner ABC-5 airing the bouts on a delayed basis at 11:30 p.m. beginning Feb. 8.

Lopez and ABC-5 vice president for program acquisition Vic Vianzon, who was also guest in the forum sponsored by Red Bull, Agfa Colors and Pioneer Insurance, formally signed the contract yesterday, making the TV station the official carrier of the weekly boxing program.

Twelve bouts, including three women’s matches, have been lined up for the initial staging of the program highlighted by the light flyweight fight between Asian Games silver medalist Harry Tanamor against Lhyven Salazar.

Other matches: Violito Payla vs Rene Villaluz (flyweight), Ferdie Gamo vs Arlan Lerio (bantamweight), Jonel Cantacio vs Reynaldo Belandres (flyweight), Roel Laguna vs Genebert Basadre (featherweight) and Florencio Ferrer vs Francis Joven (welterweight).

Also part of ABAP’s grassroots program is the holding of the National Open to be held in Palawan on April 6-12, the National Youth Championships in Bohol this October and the finals of the National Open in November in North Cotabato, all of which serve as venues for either inclusion or retention of the boxers to the national team.