Manila - President Benigno S. Aquino III sent a short but personal congratulatory message to the new Filipino world boxing champion after Edrin "The Sting" Dapudong knocked out South African Gideon Buthelezi in Johannesburg last Saturday.
"Congrats po," Pres. Aquino said in a short text message sent to the Team Dapudong in South Africa shortly after he was informed of the North Cotabato boxer's victory.
In a text message sent by Dapudong's manager, former North Cotabato Governor Manny Pinol to the President to inform him of Dapudong's spectacular win, he emphasized that the new boxing champion is a product of a grassroots boxing program started by the provincial government of North Cotabato in 1998.
Meanwhile, Vice President Jejomar Binay is expected to receive the new world boxing champion on Friday in a courtesy call to be made by Dapudong.
Businessman Hermie Esguerra, a personal friend of the vice president and himself a boxing fan, informed Pinol that Vice President Binay was very happy with the victory of Dapudong which came following the successive losses of Filipino fighters in the world boxing stage.
It started with the loss of Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao last year and followed by the defeat of Nonito Donaire Jr. and Brian Viloria.
Dapudong, 27, from Barangay Pag-asa, M'lang, North Cotabato, is now one of the three reigning world boxing champions from the Philippines. The two others are Donnie Nietes and Johnriel Casimiro.
On June 28, another Filipino, Denver Cuello, will travel to Dubai, UAE to challenge the Chinese champion for the WBC Miniflyweight Champion.
Photo: Photo downloaded from "n.squared photo" shows the killer left hook which Dapudong connected that knocked out South African champion Gideon Buthelezi.
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