MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Sports Commission, Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines and eight-division boxing champion Sen. Manny Pacquiao will join hands in rediscovering interest to the sports and searching for the best new boxing talent in the country in staging the 2017 PSC-Pacquiao Amateur Boxing Cup that will kick off this December 16-17 in General Santos City.
The PSC-Pacquiao Amateur Boxing Cup is a weekend boxing tournament organized by PSC with the help of ABAP and Pacquiao himself that will go around nationwide to scout potential amateur boxers that can be included in the pool of national boxers.
"The project calls for the nationwide development on the interest and participation in boxing as a sport. The ultimate goal is to tap promising boxers who will show potential during the competition. The project also aims to encourage these boxers to develop love for the sports during their formative years," said PSC Games Secretariat chief Annie Ruiz, together with PSC-PSI consultant Roger Fortaleza who will manage the project. .
The tournament had pinpointed Luzon, Visayas at Mindanao as its three major areas. It will start with the Mindanao Regional Leg that will take place in six locations particularly in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato; Cagayan De Oro City, Davao City, Tagum City and twice in General Santos city.
The preliminaries for Mindanao will be held in General Santos City where the participating talents from various parts of Mindanao will compete in the Day 1 of the competition.
A total of 19 weight categories will be disputed, with five for the youth boys and four in the girls division. The junior boys and girls divisions will have five weight categories each.
There will be a maximum of 16 entries per weight category for all divisions. For the youth boys division, entries will be on five weight categories, and four for the girls division. For the junior boys and girls division, entries will be on five weight classes. Tournament days will be for a total of six weekends.
The Visayas region will have five competition venues namely Ormoc City, Bago City, Antique, Bohol and Maasin City for all the participants of all local government units taking part in the tournament.
Luzon region will also have five locations: Sorsogon, Lucena, Pangasinan, Baguio City and Mandaluyong City. It will have five weekends of competition.
The same format will be followed for the quarterfinals, semifinals and the finals where the gold, silver and two bronze medalist will move to the national championships.
The draw for the national championships of all medalists from the Area Championships will be held right after the Luzon Area Championships. .
Gold medal winners of each Area Championships will be seeded automatically to the draw.
© Philstar.com Manny Pacquiao | Philstar.com file photo
At stake in the junior boys and girls divisions for boxers aged 15-16 years old are five weight categories starting with pinweight (44-46kg), light flyweight (48kg), flyweight (50kg), light bantamweight (52kg) and bantamweight (54kg).
For youth boys division with boxers aged 17-18 year-old are light flyweight (46-49kg), flyweight (52kg), bantamweight (56kg), lightweight (60kg) and light welterweight (64kg) while the four division for the Youth girls are light flyweight (45-48kg), flyweight (51kg), bantamweight (54kg) at featherweight (57kg).