PSC launch boxing program in Ginatilan

Ginatilan is a 5th class municipality located southwest of Cebu Province, facing Tanon Strait on the west and the municipalities of Malabuyoc on the north, Samboan on the south and Oslob on the east.

A sleepy town of more or less 20,000 residents with annual revenue of less than P70M, would be in festive mood today as they celebrate its annual town fiesta to honor its patron saint, St. Gregory the Great.

Considering its proximity and demographics, and the invitation of Mayor Dean Michael P. Singco, the Philippines Sports Commission (PSC) Cebu and the Alliances of Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) Central Visayas had decided to make Ginatilan the launch pad of its ambitious program – CUBAXING, which was aimed to generate number of boxers, coaches, training and training facilities and program close to amateur boxing powerhouse country – Cuba. The program is also aimed to develop and prepare Cebuano boxers to the next level of competition.

“Ginatilan is very interested to have an amateur boxing event in their town on its annual fiesta celebration. Although they have no boxers yet, we hope that this amateur boxing competition will generate interest among the youth of Ginatilan, to dream big and start take up boxing,” ABAP-7 regional director and PSC Visayas Coordinator Lorenzo “Chao” Sy said.

Aside from Sy, PSC Visayas Cluster head Nonnie Lopez will be also present to ensure a smooth running of the event.

The fighters who will be seeing action today are handpicked and have been proven winners in different competitions that includes the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (Cviraa) meet and the Batang Pinoy Visayas elimination.

“The boxers who have qualified to the Palarong Pambansa in April and Batang Pinoy Finals in November were tapped to compete in this event. This is another way to prepare them to the bigger tasks ahead and hopefully they could be Cebu’s next amateur boxing sensations,” added Sy.

Heading the cast fighters Sean Oneil Abello and JM Andrejas of Team Joeric of Mandaue City who both won the gold medal in the Batang Pinoy boxing event.

Abello will be fighting Ramil Manguilimontan of Team Seva in the 36kgs match and Andrejas will face fellow BP gold medallist Arielle Garth Llamas of Team Cebu City under the 50kgs match.

BP National Finals qualifiers Patricia Mae Sumalinog and Jhea Jane Bacayan will also display girls powers as they trade punches with  Cristy Mae Naquines and Faith Collin Llamas respectively.

An added attraction will surely give the Ginatilanons explosive main event as professional  fighters Junriel Jimenez of the La Fortuna Boxing Stable and John Kenan Villaflor will engage in a three rounder exhibition match.