Honing them early. Veteran boxing trainer and matchmaker Edito Villamor wraps the hands of one of his young boxers at the Villamor Boxing Gym in Pagsabungan, Mandaue City, where he runs his grassroots amateur boxing program. | Photo from Villamor’s Facebook page.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Edito Villamor, the former ALA Boxing Gym chief trainer has indeed come a long way in organizing a grassroots amateur boxing program in his gym in Mandaue City.
On Saturday, Villamor will hold one of the biggest amateur boxing events in Mandaue this year which he billed the “Battle of the Gold Medalists” at the Villamor Boxing Gym in Barangay Pagsabungan.
It features 12 bouts pitting the gold medalists of his previous amateur fight cards.
For Villamor, organizing the event is his way of helping the boxing community discover new talents that can represent the country in the future.
READ: Edito Villamor turns to social media to help train amateur boxers
“Para makakita ta ug new talent nga mo represent nato sa Olympics or makakita ta ug lain nga Manny Pacquiao in the near future maong importante kaayo ang activity sa mga bata every month,” said Villamor.
“Since pag open sa gym ika 16 nani nga event sa grassroots program ang ni sponsor ani si Christian Faust mag monthly para naa activity ang mga bata.”
Besides his grassroots amateur boxing program, Villamor is also grooming several Cebuano prospects in the professional scene. Two of them who are already showing great potential are Christian Balunan and Reymart Tagacanao.
Villamor also revealed that he already discovered talents from his grassroots amateur boxing program which he pitted during last year’s Palarong Pambansa Bubble Boxing Tournament at the Cebu City Sports Center.
“Yes naa natay nakita ug gani na overall (champion) ta sa Palarong Pambansa Vismin Boxing Cup nga gipahigayon diri sa Cebu. Ug karon umaabot nga CVRAA naa ta six ka mga boxers nga mo represent as a team sa Mandaue City,” Villamor revealed.
Despite his efforts, Villamor said that he struggles financially to sustain his program. That’s why he revealed that he is looking for generous people who are passionate about boxing to help him in his cause.
“Gusto unta ko nga mag sige ang monthly grassroots pero need jud ko ug maka support sa akoa nga mo sponsor para ang mga bata para mudasig ug training,” Villamor said.
For Saturday’s 12 amateur fight card, Jemuel Aranas of Cadiz Mandaue City and Khyl Sumalinog of Sarok Boxing Gym will fight in the main event under the 26-kilogram division.
The rest of the fight card features boxers not just from Mandaue City but also from Lapu-Lapu City, Consolacion, Cebu City, Carcar City, Dumaguete City, and Samboan town. /rcg
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