Yesterday, the place to be for Filipino boxing fans to be entertained was at the recreational center adjacent to Maywood Boxing Gym in Maywood, CA, which held the finals for an amateur boxing tournament that started last Thursday.
There the Amateur Boxing Of The Philippines (ABAP) had five members who reached the finals with four of them obtaining four first place finishes. They also provided some of the most exciting fights of the night.
One of them was the fight between Rey Saludar and Gerson Nietes, two members of the ABAP, who are probably fighting for the same spot on the team. During their fight, they gave no hint that they were teammates as both went after another with bad intentions. At the end, Saludar came away victorious since he was the more aggressive fighter and had the upper hand on most of the exchanges.
Overall, the coaches are probably satisfied at the outcome of their trip and the tournament. Charly Suarez continued his winning streak en route to another tournament title. All of the boxers who participated in the event, competed well and excelled, which is definitely impressive since their opponents came from areas such as Maywood, where boxing is not just a sport but a way of life. It also gave the coaches a more accurate idea on the current status of the fighters as far as what improvements need to be made.
The amateur boxing in the Philippines is definitely on the right track with Ed Picson and Manny Pangilinan at the helm. As a result, the country’s dream for its first gold since 1924 may no longer be a far fetched dream, but now a reachable goal.
