Four decorated boxing champions will be P25,000 richer today when the Mandaue City Government hands out awards for their respective exploits in the ring.
Mandaue natives Malcolm Tu?anao, Rodel Mayol, Randy Suico and Z Gorres will be given elaborate recognition rites today to show its appreciation for bringing honor to the city.
City Hall
Mandaue City Sports Development Commission executive director Cheryl Ouano said Mayor Thadeo Ouano will personally hand out to the boxers the checks during the flag retreat ceremony, which will be witnessed by the City Hall employees.
Tu?acao is a former World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight champion and is currently the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) bantamweight champion. Mayol is the OPBF minimum-weight titlist, Suico holds the OPBF 130-point crown, while Gorres is groomed to be the next OPBF super-featherweight champion.
“It’s a grander event,” said Cheryl Ouano. “We were able to secure the cash rewards on time so that the boxers could receive them right away.”
At 3 p.m., the four boxers will have a motorcade along the city’s main thoroughfares, to be followed by a press conference, where city officials will reveal its plans for the four and other upcoming boxers.
Mandaue is currently busy helping Gorres prepare for his fight for the vacant OPBF 115lb belt on March 19 against Thai No.2 contender and former champion Waengpetch Chuwatana.
Tu?acao kept his belt following a controversial draw with Japanese Kohei Ohba last Feb. 5 in Nagoya, Japan, two months and 17 days after snatching the belt from Thai Kumarnthong Por Pluemkamol.
World title
Mayol finally got his chance to fight for the world title after scoring a fourth-round knockout over Lorenzo Trejo in their eliminator bout in Cancun, Mexico last Jan. 28. It was the first time since the days of Luisito Espinosa that a Filipino boxer won in Mexico, a hotbed of world-caliber boxers.
Suico made his sixth successful title defense last Feb. 5 in Nagoya, when he knocked out challenger Ryuhei Sugita in the fourth round.
Gorres gained prominence when he took Mexican Jose Alfredo Tirado to boxing school in their 10-rounds at the Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas last Feb. 4.
