Vargas cites advocacy in boxing

MILAN – Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) president Ricky Vargas ended his five-day stay here on a high note with the national team’s strong start at the 15th AIBA World Championships and vowed all-out support in the country’s quest for the first Olympic gold medal.

Vargas left for Manila early Friday morning after the five-man boxing squad raced to a three win-one loss record with lightwelterweight Genebert Basadre, bantamweight Joan Tipon and featherweight Charly Suarez chalking up wins in the first round of eliminations. Since his departure, the team has lost three straight.

Vargas said he would’ve stayed longer if not for pressing business commitments back home. He promised to return in the event at least one Filipino fighter makes it to the finals.

“We’re very proud of our boys,” said Vargas. “It was an encouraging start considering the quality of opposition. But we still have a long way to go in preparing for the London Olympics.”

The ultimate goal is to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing. In 2012, boxing will welcome females to the Olympics for the first time and Vargas said it enhances the medal chances of the Philippines considering that at the Women’s World Championships in Ningbo City last year, lightbantamweight Annie Albania brought home a silver medal while pinweight Josie Gabuco and flyweight Analissa Cruz bagged a bronze each.

ABAP chairman Manny V. Pangilinan has put up a P12 million reward for the Filipino fighter – male or female – to win an Olympic gold medal in London.

Crucial in the country’s preparations is international exposure. This year, the Philippines participated in only one foreign competition – the King’s Cup in Bangkok last April – before campaigning at the World Championships. Nine fighters, however, were brought to Havana for a 2 1/2- week training through the Philippine Sports Commission.

ABAP secretary-general Patrick Gregorio, who flew here to monitor the progress of the team and establish links with his global counterparts, said he hopes to arrange reciprocal training programs for the fighters. Australia, for instance, is sending a squad of junior and senior fighters to train with the Philippine team in Baguio City on Oct. 10-24. Gregorio said the Australians may be invited to participate in the North and South Luzon regional open as guests during their visit. In return, the Philippines is expected to be invited to train in Canberra where the Australian boxing team is based.

National coach Pat Gaspi said the fighters’ morale shot up sky high when Vargas and Gregorio arrived to show support. Vargas watched all the Filipino fighters’ bouts during his stay. He promised a bonus of $100 for every win plus $50 each for Gaspi and assistant coach Ronald Chavez aside from allocating P250,000 for a bronze, P500,000 for a silver and P1 million for a gold.

“I find an advocacy in boxing more than in basketball,” said Vargas who is also SBP vice chairman. “That’s because most, if not all, our fighters are from the grassroots, trying to work their way out of poverty. It’s not difficult to motivate our fighters to give it their all for our country.”

Vargas said a concern is to develop the next generation of fighters. “We are addressing the issue of the future today,” he continued. “We’ll go down to the grassroots. We’re introducing boxing in the school leagues and we’re moving forward with our four regional tournaments culminating in the National Open. But foreign exposure is essential and we’ll try to maximize with the help of the Philippine Sports Commission.”

The night before he left, Vargas hardly slept as he discussed the ABAP’s plans with Gregorio, executive director Ed Picson, Gaspi and Chavez until early morning.

Picson said he is now arranging a training schedule for the women’s team, possibly in India, and a similar program for the men’s squad in Mongolia or China. The immediate objective is to gear up for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Laos late this year.

Picson said the Laos organizers are limiting each country to send in a maximum of six male and four female fighters in the coming SEA Games. There are 10 weight divisions for males and six for females.

Vargas said the ABAP is still studying the possibility of joining the AIBA’s soon-to-be-launched World Series of Boxing, a professional league where fighters remain eligible for the Olympics. The franchise fee of $500,000 and an additional amount to operate a team on a home-and-away basis appear to be prohibitive. Vargas said he has been approached by AIBA officials asking if Filipino fighters may be drafted by World Series franchises as “imports.”