ABAP sets Fil-Am tryouts

MANILA, Philippines - Fil-Ams from San Diego and Hawaii will congregate to participate in tryouts supervised by the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) on Aug. 21-22 at the University of San Francisco (USF) Koret Health and Recreation Center.

ABAP executive director Ed Picson said yesterday USF varsity boxing coach Angelo Merino, a Cebu native, has confirmed the two-day tryouts. Merino will be joined by former US Olympic boxing coach Candy Lopez and chiropractor Ronald Mitchell in staging the tryouts for ABAP. The tryouts are in connection with USF’s 10th anniversary celebration of the Maria Elena Yuchengco Philippine Studies program which includes cultural and sports events.

Picson said ABAP part-time consultant Dodong Donaire contacted Merino to arrange the tryouts.

The tryouts will coincide with the ABAP national pool’s training in the US. Expected to join the training team are recent MVP Cup gold medalists Charly Suarez, Joegin Ladon, Delfin Boholst, Annie Albania, Nesty Petecio, Josie Gabuco, Alice Kate Aparri and Analisa Cruz. Head coach Pat Gaspi and elite coach Roel Velasco will accompany the fighters.

Picson said the lineup of the training team is still being finalized. “We may bring eight to 10 fighters and up to three coaches,” he said. “We are now evaluating the candidates, given the requirements of the World Women’s Championships in Barbados in September, the Tammer Cup in Finland in October and the Asian Games in Guangzhou in November.”

Picson said the ABAP senior pool of 17 fighters extends only up to the welterweight division and he hopes the USF tryouts will uncover talents in the higher weight categories.

“We’ll be assessing skill levels,” said Picson. “Fighters who excel in club-level competitions may not be good enough even for the Southeast Asian Games. But we’ll be on the lookout for possibilities.”

A Fil-Am heavyweight J. V. Montinola, 31, recently flew in on his own to try his luck with the ABAP pool but couldn’t make the grade, absorbing a thrashing from Boholst, a welterweight, in a sparring session. Former PBA cager Alex Crisano also checked in at the ABAP gym but after a round of hitting the mitts, fell to the canvas in exhaustion. Crisano has since not shown up for training. The ABAP touring delegation plans to leave for San Francisco on Aug. 18. After five days in the Bay Area, the team will spend at least two weeks in Los Angeles, first with Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym then with Rodrigo Mosquera at the Eddie Heredia Gym where Oscar de la Hoya trained as an amateur. Picson said the team may also train at the Undisputed Gym in San Carlos City, near San Francisco, on fighter Nonito Donaire’s invitation.

Picson said it is likely that the country’s bets in the World Women’s Championships will fly directly from the US to Barbados. ABAP intends to send three fighters, Albania (51 kilograms), Petecio (54 kilograms) and either Aparri or Gabuco (45-49 kilograms).

In October, Picson said the top candidates to represent the country in men’s boxing at the Asian Games will warm up at the Tammer Cup in Finland.

“The Tammer Cup is traditionally a men’s open tournament that’s very competitive with about 18 countries participating from all over the world, including Cuba, India, Russia and the US,” said Velasco. “This will be good exposure for our fighters headed for the Asian Games.”

In Guangzhou, Picson said the boxing team will be composed of five to six males and one female.

There are only three weight classes for women in the Asian Games and the coming London Olympics – flyweight from 48 to 51 kilograms, lightweight from 56 to 60 and middleweight from 69 to 75.

“Annie is a shoo-in as our flyweight entry,” said Picson. “But with Mitchel Martinez’ retirement, we have no one to fight in the lightweight and middleweight divisions. Nesty, a bantamweight, is too small to move up to lightweight. Our pool now has some women who are in the heavier classes but they’re not ready for the Asian Games. Maybe, we can find some prospects in the Fil-Am tryouts.”