THE City Council of Bacolod has lauded two Bacole?o professional boxers Merlito “Tiger” Sabillo and Arthur “King Arthur” Villanueva for winning respective titles during their July 13 matches at the Solaire Resort and Casino, Grand Ballroom in Paranaque City.
Councilor Caesar Distrito, in resolutions he authored, which were passed by the Council recently, congratulated the two boxers.
Sabillo successfully defended his WBO minimum weight title against Colombian boxer Jorle Estrada while Villanueva won the WBO Asia Pacific super flyweight title against Arturo “Fuerte” Badillo of Mexico.
Distrito said that Sabillo is a resident of Barangay Singcang-Airport and before he became an elite boxer of ALA Gym in Talamban, Cebu and a Pinoy Pride boxer, he started his boxing career in some minor boxing matches in Bacolod City.
The victory of Merlito Sabillo over the Colombia boxer strengthened the pride and glory, not just of the Philippines but also of Bacolod City.
Many of our fellow Filipinos supported the fights of our Filipino Pride boxers including that of Sabillo, where he made an impressive mark when he knocked down Estrada in the ninth round.
Moreover, Arthur Villanueva, just like Merlito Sabillo, before he became an elite boxer of ALA Gym in Talamban, Cebu and a Pinoy Pride boxer, started his boxing career in some minor boxing matches in Bacolod.
Villanueva grew up as a resident of Bacolod.
His victory over the Mexican boxer gave us honor Filipinos and showed that in boxing, Filipinos will always be the toughest contenders, the resolution reads.
