The Negros Amateur Boxing Association is planning to hold a year-round boxing program, but it will need financial assistance from the Philippine Sports Commission for the project to materialize, NABA president Monju Guanzon said yesterday.

"The year-round boxing program will be composed of a series of tournaments to be held in the NABA Gym at the Paglaum Sports Complex in Bacolod City with competitors in the grassroots level not exceeding 18 years old," Guanzon said.

However, he said that the NABA officials could not start the project because the financial assistance promised by the PSC has yet to be delivered.

The PSC, through commissioner Ritchie Garcia, promised to allot P25,000 per month for the grassroots project of NABA but the budget, which was supposed to be given before the 23rd Southeast Asian Games in November and December last year, has not arrived up to now, he added.

Negros has given glory to the Philippines through boxing as it has produced outstanding pugilists, among them 1996 Atlanta Olympics silver medallist Mansueto "Onyok" Velasco and his elder brother Roel, who snared a bronze in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Talisaynons Joan Tipon and Juanito Magliquian, and Mitchel Martinez of Bacolod and Bago City, among others, also claimed gold medals for the country in the recent biennial meet.

Guanzon said that NABA is eyeing a series of tournaments because the talents of boxing aspirants can only be maximized and developed through actual bouts.

The NABA Gym will be the venue for the slugfests because it is the most convenient facility to the participants considering that they will come from the different cities and municipalities in Negros Occidental, he said.

But the tournament could also be staged in barangays, towns or cities outside Bacolod if there are sponsors willing to fund the event, he added.

NABA is hoping that the allocation from the PSC will be delivered before the summer break as it will be easier to communicate with the students who wish to join the boxing program, he said. *CIT

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