MANILA, Philippines – Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) president Ricky Vargas may take a prominent role in the International Boxing Association (AIBA) as Dr. Ching Kuo-Wu, president of the Lausanne-based global governing body, recently indicated he will tap the services of the PLDT senior vice president to be the executive chairman of marketing.
Vargas, Dr. Wu, Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) president Chang Jianping, ASBC executive director Richard Cheng and ABAP secretary-general Patrick Gregorio conferred for nearly two hours in a lunch meeting at the Empark Hotel in Guiyang City, Guizhon province in southwestern China last Friday. They met during the China Open which brought in 200 fighters from 20 countries, including seven Filipino simonpures ? lightflyweight Gerson Nietes, flyweight Rey Saludar, bantamweight Francis Palicte, featherweight Charly Suarez, lightweight Jameboy Vicera, lightwelterweight Rey Melligen and welterweight Wilfredo Lopez.
Vargas and Gregorio flew in for only two nights but the brief trip was worth it.
?We were able to accomplish many things,? said Gregorio. ?We re-established our close relations with AIBA and ASBC. Dr. Wu mentioned that with Mr. Vargas? background and experience, he will be a major asset to AIBA particularly in the field of global marketing. Dr. Wu is determined to professionalize how AIBA operates and one of his projects is the World Series which will be launched soon with four Asian franchises in China, India, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.? The next AIBA Congress in Busan, South Korea, this November will formalize the new membership of the executive committee where Vargas is expected to be nominated.
Vargas briefed Dr. Wu on the preparations for the MVP Cup involving seven countries, including the Philippines, to be held July 14-20 tentatively at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Dr. Wu and Jianping committed to arrive in Manila on July 15 after attending the AIBA executive committee meeting in Morocco. Cheng will fly in before the start of the competitions.
The Philippines, as host, will field two teams in the MVP Cup. China, Thailand, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Cuba and Russia are at the top of the invitation list with one team each.
?This will be a one-star AIBA event because of the limited participation of countries,? explained Gregorio. ?A three-star event, the highest rating, is for a competition with at least 20 countries. But the MVP Cup will be a quality tournament as we want to bring in the best in the world.?
Gregorio said Dr. Wu enthusiastically received the news of Manila?s return as host of an international competition.
?Dr. Wu called it a welcome development,? said Gregorio. ?He mentioned that AIBA will never forget the prestigious Mayor?s Cup which we used to hold every year. Now, we hope the MVP Cup will set a new standard for an international tournament.?
Gregorio said the MVP Cup will be officiated by two-star referees and judges. ?Each country will send a referee-judge,? he continued. ?We are nominating Mr. Herbert Embuldeniya of Sri Lanka to be the technical delegate or head of the supervising committee. We are fortunate that our very own Roger Fortaleza is now a three-star referee-judge as he recently passed the examinations in China. We are also proud to announce that a Filipina, Karina Picson, has been appointed as member of the ASBC women?s commission.?
At the China Open, three Filipinos bagged bronze medals ? Nietes, Palicte and Lopez.
Philippine Sports Commission chairman Harry Angping arrived in Guiyang last Friday afternoon and was a guest of Guizhou governor Lin Shusen at a private dinner reception. Angping had a breakfast meeting with Dr. Wu the next day to affirm the country?s relations with AIBA.
From Guiyang, the seven Filipino fighters went straight to Beijing to begin a two-week training program at the Shichahai Sports School, home of the city?s boxing federation and the No. 1 gym in China. They were later joined by more Filipino fighters who flew in from Manila.
At the moment, the Filipino fighters training in Beijing are 15 males and five females with coaches Pat Gaspi, Boy Velasco, Ronald Chavez, Boy Catolico and Roel Velasco. Among the fighters are females Annie Albania, Josie Gabuco and Alice Kate Aparri.
Another group of nine fighters, including eight males, with coach Vicente Arcenal will join the camp in Beijing. Their visas are now being processed and they are scheduled to leave this Saturday.
ABAP executive director Ed Picson said yesterday five Chinese coaches and 30 Chinese fighters were assigned to assist in the Filipinos? training program. Shichahai headmaster Li Gui Cheng is in charge of the two-week course.
