Cebu boxers won’t join PLDT-ABAP Visayas tilt

The PLDT-Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) Visayas Area Amateur Boxing Championships is supposed to be one of the biggest competitions Cebuano amateur boxers are scheduled to appear in.
Unfortunately, Cebu’s top boxing teams will not showcase their wares inside the ring on Thursday in Maasin City, southern Leyte .
Cebu City’s amateur boxing team head coach Jordan Dupalco said they will have to miss this year’s event due to financial constraints.
The budget allotted for the team’s campaign in Maasin City was used to conduct an amateur boxing fight card last Sunday at the Plaza Sugbo inline with Cebu City’s 77th Charter Day Celebration, according to Dupalco.
He said he requested for more financial assistance from the higher office to no avail.
According to Dupalco, the city was supposed to send eight boxers to compete in Maasin City.
He told his wards that there are bigger tournaments to prepare for this year, including the national finals of the Private Schools Athletic Association in Tagum City this April and the Palarong Pambansa in Laguna in May. There’s also the Batang Pinoy Games later this year.
“These are the tournaments we’ll prepare for so that dili ma sayang ang training sa mga bata,” Dupalco said.
MANDAUE WILLING BUT NOT INVITED
Mandaue City’s boxing team, meanwhile, according to its sports commission director Gaga Mendoza, is willing to participate in the PLDT-ABAP Visayas championships if they only will be invited.
Mendoza said he is quite disappointed with the officials of ABAP after he did not receive any invitation for the competition.
“Kung nakadawat pa lang unta mi ug invitation, sigurado man jud magpadala mi ug boxers didto kay kahibalo mi naa jud modaug sa among mga boxers. Pero wala man mi kadawat,” Mendoza said.
Mandaue City hosted the PLDT-ABAP Visayas championships in 2011 and emerged the overall champion.
Just like Dupalco, Mendoza said they shift their focus on other competitions like the Batang Pinoy Games and the Philippine National Games.