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Philippines, 05 Jan 2026 |
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NORTH COTABATO HOSTS WEEK-LONG BOXFEST By Salven L. Lagumbay PhilBoxing.com Sat, 20 Aug 2005 It will be a week-long boxing festival starting Aug. 27 when North Cotabato hosts the 1st Mindanao Invitational Amateur Boxing Tournament and a big professional boxing card on Aug. 31 to mark the 91st foundation anniversary of the booming province in the Southern Philippines. North Cotabato Governor Manny Pinol, who is credited with transforming this former poor and strife-torn area into one of the most progressive and peaceful provinces after just seven years as governor, said the boxing festival is one of the events lined up to celebrate an era of peace and prosperity. Amateur boxing clubs from all over the Island of Mindanao including some provinces from the Visayas will be fielding boxers in what is expected to be a very stiff competition for the tournament's medals and the honor of being chosen as the first group of amateur boxers who will be trained by Cuban boxing coach Honorato Espinosa. Espinosa, 67, who holds the distinction of training the boxer who gave Cuba its first Olumpic gold in Munich in 1972, is expected to scout for young talents who will train under the Governors' National Amateur Boxing Circuit in preparation for the big international events, including the Beijing Olympics of 2008. The powerhouse teams include Davao del Norte and Panabo City, sponsored by Congressman Tony Boy Floreindo, the Davao City team of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, the Sarangani Province team of Governor Miguel Dominguez and Mayor Joel Lopez, the Digos City team of Mayor Boy Latasa, the Bohol Province team of Governor Erico Aumentado and the host province of North Cotabato which will be fielding three teams. "Certainly, many talents will be discovered in this tournament and we hope to organize the Governors' national amateur boxing team afterwards," said Governor Pinol. To cap the week-long sports activity, a professional boxing card will be staged right after the awarding ceremonies for amateur boxers on Aug. 31. Young professional boxers from North Cotabato who are products of Governor Pinol's amateur boxing program will be seeing action in the boxing card which will be open to the public. Bantamweight sensation Glenn Porras, 19 (5wins 1 loss 2 kos)will be going up against the veteran Mark Sales of Manila, the country's No. 7 jr. bantamweight contender and former World Boxing Federation Asia-Pacific 115-lb. titlist. Junior flyweight Dennis Juntilla, 21 (5 wins, 1 loss 2 kos) will fight Pingping Tepura of Cebu City while 19-year-old Tommy Terado (5 wins, no loss, 2 kos) will go up against Philippine-ranked Ricardo Albia in the miniflyweight division. TWo other North Cotabato boxers seeing action are undefeated Ervin Dapudong, 19 (5 wins, no loss, 2 kos) and Rex Penalosa, 20 (4 wins 1 loss, 1 ko). Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Butch Ramirez, Immigration Commissioner Al Fernandez, Amateur Boxing Federation President Manny Lopez and many other top government officials are expected to attend the sports event. END Click here to view a list of other articles written by Salven L. Lagumbay.  |
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