THE most influential people in boxing in Asia and the Pacific will converge in Bacolod City for the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation convention, with no less than World Boxing Council president Mauricio Sulaiman as guest of honor.
Boxing managers, promoters and ring officials from the region are eager to meet with Sulaiman, who will be hosted by OPBF president Juan Ramon Guanzon to a night of triple championship boxing and a local serving of cockfighting.
The OPBF convention was held for the first time last year, after a long hiatus. Due to its success, more boxing executives clamored for a follow-up, thus a back-to-back OPBF is being held, an event that is unprecedented in the oldest and most prestigious regional boxing organization.
More than 200 boxing executives and officials from at least 20 member countries have pre-registered for the convention slated March 30 to April 1 at the El Fisher Hotel.
“Our mission from the time that we were given the opportunity to take the helm of the OPBF is to make it stronger, more active by promoting better relationship among promoters and managers across the region,” said Guanzon, also the chairman of the Games and Amusement Board, recognized the authorized boxing commission in the Philippines.
While safety of the fighters is an utmost priority, Guanzon said the OPBF has also implemented rules that are promoter-friendly. “We want to help the promoters and managers because if they promote more fights, the more opportunity for boxers.”
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Guanzon attributes the resurgence of OPBF to the Philippines as an English-speaking country that makes it a better communicator.
“I think one factor is we communicate better with other countries and we make sure that we attend boxing conventions of other world bodies and share the information with all OPBF members.”
One of the agenda in the three-day convention is the improvement of the systems in the medical aspects with world-class fight doctor Dr. Paul Wallace scheduled to conduct talks on advanced drug-testing procedures and boxers’ safety.
WBC chief of ring officials, Hubert Minn from Hawaii, will conduct seminars on judging principles with scientific basis, while noted international referee, Angeles City-based Bruce Mctavish, will talk on refereeing principles with emphasis on safety.
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Guanzon, who is ably assisted by GAB boxing division chief, Dr. Nasser Cruz, is also introducing for the first time the application and implementation of the interim championship, a system being done in the WBC.
A major part of the convention is a boxing event, to be promoted by Brico Santig of Highland Boxing, topbilled by a triple interim championship.
Carlo Magale, whose last fight was a masterful TKO win over a highly rated Australian, will dispute the superfeatherweight interim title with Bacolod pride Mark Gil Melligen.
Rey Singwangcha Megrino will contest the OPBF interim bantamweight jewel, with Jonathan Baat, while Rene Dacquel (16W-6L-1D) and undefeated Thai Lucky Tor Buamas will fight for the interim superflyweight crown.
Santig said the triple championship will showcase the skills of Filipino fighters. “The WBC bigwigs and the top promoters in Asia and the Pacific will be treated to a slam-bang boxing action. We will show them that Filipino fighters deserve to fight abroad and get a chance to be world champions,” Santig said.