Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia acknowledged the full support given by boxing champion Manny Pacquiao for the staging of the 1st Mayor Bing Inter-Cities Invitational Amateur Boxing Tournament that opens tomorrow at the Robinsons Place Bacolod.
Leonardia said Pacquiao, the main sponsor of the two-day competition, was very enthusiastic about the city?s boxing program and he was fully supportive of the inter-cities tournament.
The mayor also said Pacquiao assured him that he will always be supportive of the city’s effort to promote sports, especially boxing.
The inter-cities boxing bouts were organized to provide aspiring boxers opportunities to improve their skills and develop them into world-class athletes like Pacquiao.
Pugilists from the cities of General Santos, Bago, Cadiz and host Bacolod will slug it out in different weight divisions.
“The city government is planning to make the boxing event an annual or a semi-annual tournament to encourage more aspiring boxers to participate”, Leonardia said.
He will lead the local chief executives and representatives from participating cities in welcoming the participants. The boxing event is one of the activities lined up in time for the Masskara Festival.*
