AIBA top official to grace MVP Cup

MANILA, Philippines - Taiwan’s Dr. Ching Kuo Wu, president of the world governing International Amateur Boxing Association, will be the guest of honor when the 2010 MVP International Boxing Friendship Cup fires off today at the PICC Forum Tent.

Also gracing the event, which is being presented by PLDT, are Chang Jiangping, president of the Asian Boxing Confederation, and ASBC executive director Richard Guozheng.

The contingents from seven participating countries, including the host Philippines, will be welcomed by Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, ABAP president Ricky Vargas, secretary-general Patrick Gregorio, and executive director Ed Picson.

“We are pulling out all the stops on this one,” said Vargas. “This the first tournament in over a decade to be held here, and we would like to show AIBA and ASBC that we are capable of hosting international tournaments. We hope our countrymen will help us.”

Gold medals in seven weight categories in the men’s division and five in the women’s side are at stake, with $1,000, courtesy of the ABAP and Smart/PLDT chairman, awaiting each gold medal winner.

Action-packed bouts are expected in each of the following categories: 48kgs., 51kgs.,54kgs., 57kgs., 60kgs., 64kgs., and 69kgs. for men, and 46kgs., 58kgs., 51kgs., 54kgs., and 57kgs. for women.

 Other sponsors include Tanduay, Outlast, Powerade, Clusivol, Burger King, BMW, G4S, Maynilad, Ubix Corporation, Waterfront Manila Pavilion, and Smart Communications.

Entrance is open free for the sporting public, with buses waiting to ferry spectators from the Rizal Memorial Coliseum on Vito Cruz to the venue at the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex.

A brief opening ceremony at 3 p.m. will precede the fights.

The Buganda Ati-Atihan group will escort the participating teams into the venue where they will be entertained by the pop-alternative band Sugarfree.

Invited to be the special guests are boxing icon and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao and 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games silver medalist Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco.

Sri Lanka’s Helbert Embuldeniya, the technical delegate for the tournament, paid tribute to the organizers.

“Even if this is supposedly a small tournament, it is high profile because the highest official of the world governing body in amateur boxing and the president of the Asian confederation are both present,” he said.

“It is very rare that both of these important personalities come together for a tournament this size. The ABAP must feel honored and special. Of course, the fact that it is Chairman Pangilinan’s birthday (July 14) may have something to do with it.”

Thailand, the Philippines bitter rival in the Southeast Asian Games sent 10 Class “A” boxers, led by Athens Olympics veteran Worapoj Petchikoom and Asian Indoor Games campaigner Sopida Satumram.

Satumram has an old score to settle with Annie Albania, who beat her for the gold during the Asian Indoor Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.

China, handled by coaches Yanghai Liu and Xianggosong Wu, fielded three male boxers and one female.

Chinese Taipei sent seven (four men and three women), Macau five (three male and two female), Hong Kong four men boxers and Sri Lanka nine (five men and four female).

The host country fielded 14 male and five female boxers.

Spearheading the locals are Bill Vicera, Gerson Nietes, Glicerio Catolico III, Recky Dulay, Charly Suarez, Jherjigs Chavez, Joegin Ladon, Jameboy Vicera, Jimmy Vallares, Rlolando Tacuyan, Delfin Boholzt, Wilfredo Lopez and the Davao-based Saludar brothers, Rey and Victorio.

At the helm of women assault are Annie Albania, Alice Kate Aparri, Josie Gabuco, Nesthy Petecio and Noeme Tacda.

Vicera, B. and Saludar, V. compete in 48kgs. (light flyweight), Saludar, R. and Nietes 51 kgs.(flyweight), Catolico and Dulay 54kgs.(bantamweight), Suarez and Chavez 57kgs.(featherweight), Ladon and Vicera, J. 60kgs.(lightweight), Vallares and Tacuyan 64kgs. (light welterweight), and Boholzt and Lopez 69 kgs (welterweight).

Gabuco sees action in 46kgs. (pinweight), Aparri 48kgs.(lightweight), Albania 51kgs.(flyweight), Petecio 54kgs., (bantamweight) and Tacda 57kgs. (featherweight).

The event is the revival of the defunct Mayor’s Cup, the breeding ground of talented amateur boxers.