RP fighters open bid in Vietnam

HO CHI MINH CITY — Baptism of fire awaits three Filipino boxers who will make their first international appearance Wednesday evening when the pre-SEA Games Boxing Championships, which drew more than 50 fighters from five countries, off the wraps at the Phan Dinh Phung Stadium here.

First to test his skills on foreign soil will be Glen Gonzales who will vie in the 51 kg division against Vietnam’s Nguyen Viet Linh. Also climbing the ring for RP Team Revicon are Joan Tipon against Thailand’s Kongdech Vaitam at 54 kg and Mark Melligen against another Thai, Pongsak Hrianthuan at 64 kg.

The three other members of RP Team Revicon, also supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Pacific Heights, Accell and Family Rubbing Alcohol, are 1999 Brunei SEA Games champion Juanito Magliquian (45 kg) and fellow veterans Godfrey Castro (48 kg) and Maximino Tabangcora III (75 kg).

Upon the decision of the orgnizers, Tabangcora’s division will not offer any medal since there were only two entries, the other one from the host country.

The participation of the RP Team Revicon in this tournament, which also drew teams from China and Laos, will help the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) under Manny Lopez determine the composition of the national team that will see action in the SEA Games this December and the first Olympic qualifying for Asian in January in Palawan.

"That’s why they have to give their best because this could be their ticket to the SEA Games or eventually the 2004 Athens Olympics," said Lopez in a telephone call from Manila after he was informed of the results of the draw Wednesday morning. The matches will all be held in the evening with the finals set on Sunday.

"This will be a good test for our new internationalists. But they have come here prepared and ready to do battle," said Ruben Roque, the ABAP treasurer who is here as team manager. Coaches Vicente Arsenal and Elmer Pamisa are guiding the boxers along with referee/judge Dante de Castro.

The RP Team Revicon quietly arrived in this city, which is 1,700 kms north of Hanoi, Tuesday morning after a two-hour flight from Manila. After checking in at the hotel, which is just five kms from the venue, they held a short workout in the afternoon in preparation for the official weigh-in the morning after.

Boxing notes: The Phan Dinh Phung Stadium will also host the boxing competitions of the forthcoming SEA Games and is located just a few kilometers away from the central district and the Bay Quok Te Tan Son Nhat International Airport. The city is already bristling with activity as Vietnam prepares for its first hosting of the biennial meet. Streamers and billboards are all over the place with a huge flower wall spelling out the number of days to go until the start of the SEA Games greeting visitors entering the city.