Philippines, 17 Oct 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Fil-Brit out for boxing gold


PhilBoxing.com



John Marvin.

ABAP executive director Ed Picson said yesterday Fil-Brit boxer John Marvin, a late discovery from out of the blue, might just pull a surprise to win the gold medal in the lightheavyweight division at the coming SEA Games in Malaysia.

Picson said he received a blind e-mail from Marvin last May inquiring about fighting for the Philippines. ?It came out of nowhere,? said Picson. ?John wanted to fly over since he has a Philippine passport. He sent us videos of his fights. We had nothing to lose. I told him to pay his way to Manila and if he makes the team, we?ll reimburse his expenses. But John couldn?t raise the money so (ABAP president) Mr. (Ricky) Vargas decided to advance it.?

Picson said ABAP?s gamble paid off. ?John?s easy to get along with,? he said. ?He likes Filipino food, he doesn?t mind bunking with four or five guys in a room, he just wants an opportunity to box for the country. We considered one of our veterans Willie Lopez for the lightheavyweight slot but when they sparred, John got the better of him. He held his own and took Willie?s best shots. The coaching staff decided to go with John. He went with the team for training in China and he?s now getting a monthly allowance of P11,000 from the PSC as a member of the national pool.?

Marvin, 24, is a British lance corporal with the 1st battalion of the Princess of Wales regiment based in Germany. His father John, Sr. is a retired professional singer, former cruise director and now a yacht master. His Filipina mother is Teresita Tupas from Pampanga. His younger brother Jonathan, 22, is with the merchant navy. As a boy, Marvin used to make regular visits to the Philippines with his family. But before this trip, he hadn?t been back in 11 years. Marvin said he expects his parents to be at ringside in K.L.

Marvin learned how to box when he was seven and joined the Ventnor Club under coach Darren Green at the Isle of Wight. When he joined the Army, Marvin signed up for the boxing team and it led to winning the middleweight and cruiserweight titles in combined military services tournaments. He?s been with the British Army boxing team for five years.

?Last year, I was invited to participate in a Filipino-British boxing competition in England but I couldn?t join,? he said. ?That opened my eyes to the possibility of fighting for the Philippines. So I sent an e-mail to ABAP asking how to go about it. Now that I?m with the national team, my goal is to make the best of this chance. I don?t know what the future will bring. Life is full of surprises. But I?m definitely going for gold in the SEA Games. I?m aspiring to fight at the Asian Games and the Olympics.?

Marvin said the fighter he most admires is Muhammad Ali. ?I?m inspired by him, he?s my motivation to fight,? he said. ?Do I try to fight like Ali? No. I don?t try to fight like anyone. I?ve developed my own style. I?d rather not describe how I fight. I don?t want to give bullets to the enemy. Let?s just wait for the bell to ring at the SEA Games.?


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • MANNY PACQUIAO PROMOTIONS PRESENTS “COUNTDOWN TO THRILLA IN MANILA” AND “THRILLA IN MANILA 50”
    , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • Rafael Espinoza-Arnold Khegai Featherweight World Title Showdown Set for Nov. 15 in San Luis Potosí, Mexico
    , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • Irish welterweight contender Paddy Donovan Positioned for another World title shot
    , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • DAY ONE: TEAM ASIA LAUNCHES TITLE DEFENCE WITH DOMINANT WHITEWASH AS AJ ‘STARBOY’ MANAS SHINES
    , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • CONNOR MITCHELL SIGNS FOR MATCHROOM BOXING AND DREAMS OF SURPASSING HIS LEGENDARY FATHER
    , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • CONWAY-LIDDARD YORK HALL WEIGH-IN RESULTS
    , Thu, 16 Oct 2025
  • PR Run - Break Your Record on Oct. 19
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 16 Oct 2025
  • PIONEERING FILIPINO BOXERS TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT ON FIL-AM HISTORY MONTH (PART I)
    By Dong Secuya, , Thu, 16 Oct 2025
  • BOXING HALL OF FAME RELEASES FALL 2025 LETTER OF APPEAL SEEKING FUNDRAISING SUPPORT
    , Thu, 16 Oct 2025
  • Mendoza bags bronze
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 16 Oct 2025
  • THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 20: MUHAMMAD ALI VS. JOE FRAZIER III ON OCTOBER 1, 1975 AT THE ARANETA COLISEUM
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Thu, 16 Oct 2025
  • Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: History of Boxing in Reynosa, Tamaulipas
    By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Thu, 16 Oct 2025
  • YORK HALL PRESS CONFERENCE: EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID AS CONWAY AND LIDDARD GET SET FOR HUGE DOMESTIC CLASH
    , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • Unbeaten Super Featherweight Contender Andres Cortes Set for Return on October 18 Against Derlyn Hernandez-Geraldo in Long Beach
    , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • JOEL “LETHAL” LEWIS RETURNS NOV 28TH THUNDERDOME 52 – METRO CITY PERTH
    , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • Shane Mosley Sr. Blasts Oscar De La Hoya of Blocking Son’s Title Shot, Calls for Trilogy Fight on Drew & Pris Uncensored podcast
    , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • MASOUD vs McGRAIL HEADLINES BLOCKBUSTER MONTE-CARLO SHOWDOWN VI CARD ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6 – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • WFM Mendoza seizes lead in 2025 FIDE World Youth Chess Championship
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • YOENLI HERNANDEZ KNOCKS OUT RAMON DELACRUZ SENA IN FIRST ROUND OF MAIN EVENT OF FISTS OF FURY 8
    , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • BEN WHITTAKER TITLE SHOT CONFIRMED WITH PRESS CONFERENCE THIS FRIDAY
    , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • GOLDEN BOY ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP TO BOOST AMATEUR TALENT IN CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO
    , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • SHANNON RYAN: I'M READY TO BRING 'KAOS' TO YORK HALL THIS WEEK
    , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • Nikita Tszyu Health Update
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 13 OCTOBER 2025: Ennis Wipes Out Lima; Vianello Defeats Barriere; Makhmudov Outpoits Allen
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 14 Oct 2025
  • Omar Juarez Set for Homecoming Clash Against Omar Rosario on October 18 i
    , Tue, 14 Oct 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.