The regional head of the Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines did not approve the participation of light flyweight Mark Anthony Barriga and lightweight Charly Suarez in the international governing body of the Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur (AIBA), or  the International Boxing Association’s pro boxing tournament  that  will be launched in March, this year.

Gene Rose Tecson, also team manager of the Davao del Norte Boxing Team,  said she did not remember any ABAP meeting discussing it.

Barriga and Suarez were part of Barangay UNA Boxing Team - a grassroots sports development program in Panabo City by then-Representative Tony Boy Floirendo. It is now called as the Davao del Norte Boxing Team supported by Rep. Anton Lagdameo, Rep. Anthony del Rosario and Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario.

The Barangay Una Boxing Team was able to produce a lot of national and regional champions, who were later recruited to the Philippine national boxing team, including Barriga and Suarez.

"Well, it's not our call already, they're under Abap's wings," Tecson said.

"The moment a boxer goes up the ring to fight without his headgear, then he ceases to be an amateur. AIBA Pro Boxing is already a misnomer because how can an amateur body host a professional game?" Tecson said.

The Games and Amusements Board wants Barriga and Suarez to secure a professional boxer’s license from the GAB for the year 2015 and to also secure an “Authority to Fight” from the governing body for pro sports “prior to every fight abroad.”

GAB is the government agency tasked with the supervision and regulation of professional boxing and other professional sports”. GAB said that they had earlier communicated with ABAP and the Philippine Sports Commission  “regarding your participation in the AIBA professional boxing tournament because the same involves the payment of purses, prize money and even contractual income.”

Both Barriga and Suarez had already received separate letters from GAB chairman Juan Ramon Guanzon.

A news report said that ABAP president Ricky Vargas has set up a meeting with chairman Guanzon next week to discuss the issue.

The Philippine Olympic Committee had earlier expressed concern over the absence of Barriga and Suarez from the Philippine team to the Southeast Asian Games in Singapore in June, fearing that as a result what the POC believes would be two sure gold medals will be lost thereby affecting the overall chances of the Philippines for a fourth place finish compared to its dismal seventh place in the last two SEA Games competitions.*PNA

back to top

Batch ’90 paces NOHS bowlfest
ABAP disapproves Barriga, Suarez joining AIBA slugfest