The five-day tournament for boxers 17-25 years old in eight weight categories is a prelude to the weeklong Hinugyaw Festival celebrating the 92nd anniversary of North Cotabato.

Leading the entries in the tournament are amateur boxers from the North Cotabato province, which will be fielding two teams.

Other participating teams include those from Malaybalay City, General Santos City, Maitum, Surigao del Norte, Sorsogon, Misamis Oriental, South Cotabato, Pigcawayan, Compostela Valley, Koronadal, Zamboanga City and Oroquieta City.

The boxing tournament is part of the series of boxing events under the 2006 Governors’ National Amateur Boxing Circuits of the League of Provinces of the Philippines with North Cotbato Gov. Emmanuel Pinol as project director.(Williamor A. Magbanua/MindaNews).