Philippines, 01 Jul 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


WBO'S PANONCILLO WANTS BOXING TO HAVE A HEART


PhilBoxing.com



Panoncillo.
The World Boxing Organization (WBO) has certainly gone a very long way from its humble beginnings as a fringe organization into what it is today, the biggest and most admired sanctioning body in the world.

Aside from maintaining an unsullied integrity in the sport, and doing away with the usual set up of an organization with Old Boys' Club mentality, the WBO is finely carving a name for itself as an organization with a heart, operating in an environment where as it grows bigger, it knows its accrued social responsibility is just about as huge.

Nothing illustrates that more than tomorrow's big event, where again the WBO is at the center of a ring battle that has the potential for a classic featuring world champion Donnie Nietes against world champion Moises Fuentes.

ALA Promotions, the country's biggest and most respected boxing outfit, is putting up this mega event as part of its "Pinoy Pride" series in partnership with ABS-CBN, and it seems this show will be another blockbuster.

But behind all the hoopla, the WBO's Leon Panoncillo is also busy preparing for an event that truly makes this occasion extra special.

Tomorrow morning, the WBO Kontra Drugs once again takes place here in Cebu, where a baseball event will be sponsored by the sanctioning body for the poor kids in the city. Michael Angel Lopez, an award-winning baseball personality from Cebu, has been tapped by the WBO to put up the baseball event.

"I see there is so much poverty going around in my country. I see kids sleeping on the streets begging, and I know something must be done," said Panoncillo yesterday after the official press conference of the Nietes-Fuentes fight. "So this is where the WBO would like to somehow have a part. That as we grow bigger, that we care better," added Panoncillo, who is expected to grace the opening of the WBO Kontra Drugs event along with Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, WBO officials, and boxing legend Marco Antonio Barrera.

The WBO's recent entry in Japan, which was formalized last week with no less than WBO president Paco Valcarcel and Panoncillo along with ratings chairman Luis Perez visiting Tokyo to meet with officials from the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) and Japanese promoters, as well as the upcoming WBO double world championship in Macao, has just solidified the WBO's position as the number one boxing body in the world today. Panoncillo, however, sees it as a chance to not just oversee boxing, but also to give the sport a heart for the less fortunate.

"The annual WBO Kontra Drugs is not just a program we do in Asia every year, but this has been on going in other parts of the world, courtesy of the WBO. And we plan to do this for as long as we can," said Panoncillo.

Next year, aside from the baseball event, Panoncillo is also looking at the possibility of actually feeding kids alongside the sports program. "I'd like to have a day where we can just tell the street kids, 'Come, join us and eat with us. I'm sure Paco (Varcarcel) would love to have a project like this."

NOTES: Boxing legend Marco Antonio Barrera arrived in Cebu last night to be at ringside for his prized protege Moises Fuentes. Fans will get a chance to meet the legendary fighter tomorrow night at the Waterfront Hotel...I never got the chance to meet Barrera last night, as "only the elites" as described by Michael Angel Lopez were invited to meet him. I will have that chance tonight, hopefully, as ALA Promotions holds a presscon for the legend...Nietes vs Fuentes has the potential of becoming the new version of Alexis Arguello vs Aaron Pryor. We'll see...Expect Manila's media to be at special ringside tomorrow night for the big fight. They know a real fight when they see one...Veteran boxing man Ronnie Nathanielsz is pretty much like Bob Arum. After decades in the sport, they remain as passionate about it as the first day they got involved in boxing...


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Salven L. Lagumbay.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • MARIO BARRIOS LAS VEGAS MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES
    , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • CATTERALL AND EUBANK LAY THEIR 'CARDS ON THE TABLE' AHEAD OF MANCHESTER SHOWDOWN
    , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • Dumadag holds chess tourney
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 01 Jul 2025
  • Manny Pacquiao's Case for the Greatest of All Time
    By Ace Freeman, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • DavNor Adventure Race 2025 set July 2
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Gumila rules Antipolo rapid chess tilt
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • FULL CIRCLE AT WILD CARD: Jhay Otamias’ Tribute to a Fighter and a Fanbase
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Vince Paras Wins by 4th Round KO Over Sarawut Thawornkham to Capture the IBF Pan Pacific Super Flyweight Title
    , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Team USA's Quest for Gold Set in Stone at World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
    , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • SBA SEASON 2 DRAFT UNVEILS RISING STARS AND STRATEGIC MOVES AS TEAMS COMPLETE THEIR ROSTERS
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Filipino Elwin Retanal wins Saudi rapid chess meet
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 30 Jun 2025
  • Jake Paul Earns Boxing Legitimacy with Dominant Decision Over Julio Cesar Chávez Jr.
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Zurdo Ramirez Defends Cruiserweight Crowns with Unanimous Decision Over Dorticos
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Vince Paras Faces Sarawut Thawornkham Today at Venue 88 in Gensan
    , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • USA Elite High Performance Team Sets Sights on Gold at World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
    , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Alekhine Nouri bags silver in blitz
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 29 Jun 2025
  • Paul vs. Chavez Jr: Can Julio Derail Jake Paul?
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Dr. KO: Christian Mbilli Stops Maciej Sulecki in 1
    , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • GOLDEN BOY SIGNS UNDEFEATED MIDDLEWEIGHT BLUE-CHIP PROSPECT AMARI JONES
    , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Paul vs. Chávez Jr. is a Go: All Fighters Make Weight in Anaheim Ahead of High-Stakes Bout
    , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • IIEE Chessmasters Overall Champion in the International Bundesliga with GM Joey Antonio
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Kittipong of Thailand Battles Bhavesh of India in Brico Santig's Exciting Show in Bangkok
    By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Weights from Philadelphia
    , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Alekhine Nouri and John Jerish Velarde struck gold and bronze
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 28 Jun 2025
  • Would OKC Still Win the West If Dallas Had Not Traded Doncic?
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Fri, 27 Jun 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.