BOXING will continue to flourish in Tagbilaran City following the reelection of Mayor Dan Neri Lim.
With Tagbilaran’s involvement in boxing, Boholano ring talents had flourished.
It saw the meteoric rise of Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista into stardom and the dramatic ascend of Corella descent AJ “Bazooka” Banal as one of the promising fighters.
Achievement
But Lim’s greatest achievement was the resurgence of the amateur boxing program.
“Boxing has been one of the priorities of Mayor Lim,” said executive secretary Mark Monton. “It is his wish to promote Tagbilaran City through boxing and because of his deep involvement in it. Boxing was made an issue during the campaign period but I guess the Tagbilaranons have spoken, they wanted boxing that’s why it will continue.”
Search
Monton is expecting a lot more talents to rise from the city as its amateur boxing program has picked up from its initial creation back in 2004.
Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (Abap) Central Visayas president Nemesio Monton, the discoverer of Bautista and WBO Asia-Pacific lightweight champion Czar Amonsot, is grateful when Lim took the cudgel in helping boxing.
“It was really tough for me in the past to convince our officials to get involved into boxing. I can recall that I always got turned down when I tried to approach an official seeking for help to promote amateur boxing. But when Tagbilaran started it all and when they saw the fruits – all of them seemed to like boxing at all. I always got request for boxing tournaments and seminars all around Bohol province,” said the older Monton.
Monton hoped that he could discover another Bautista among the class of young and aspiring fighters in the province.
Raising bulls
Tagbilaran City bankrolled a pool of amateur boxers in Taloto district, where they were housed, fed, given allowance and scholarship.
“Aside from that, our consolation is when Tagbilaran City is known throughout the world through boxing. And we had our professional boxers like Bautista, Banal and Amonsot to thank for that, added Monton.
Mayor Lim’s participation with the ALA Gym gave Boholano boxers a good chance to become popular in international arena.
