This city has long been considered “ideal site” for the regional training center for excellence planned to be put up by Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) in Mindanao.
But Gov. Moreno also reportedly expressed his desire to host the training center.
Abrahan said the Mindanao stakeholders were not able to meet and discuss as to where they want to put up the training center during the congress.
ABAP board director for Davao Region, William “Butch” Ramirez, would meet the stakeholders to discuss the matters probably next week, according to Abrahan. Ramirez is also the outgoing chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission.
During the consultative meeting with the boxing stakeholders in the region which ABAP president Ricky Vargas attended, it was discussed that the stakeholders would meet during the boxing congress to decide where to set up the training center.
The Mindanao Training Center would be one of four regional training centers to be put up nationwide and aimed at getting the best boxers for the upcoming 2012 London Olympics.
Vargas earlier said they prefer to set up the training center here and make this city as center for Mindanao.
But he clarified that they would not intervene on the decision of the stakeholders.
Abrahan said that ABAP secretary-general Patrick Gregorio, during his “presentation” at the boxing congress, mentioned the boxing facilities at the back of Davao City Recreation Center, known as Almendras Gym, as the site for the Mindanao regional training center.
“Sec-Gen. Gregorio mentioned Almendras Gym during his presentation,“ Abrahan said, when asked if Davao was selected as the site for the training center.
Vargas visited once the boxing facilities mentioned by Gregorio and described it as “not in good shape".
"But there are lots of potential young boxers,” hesaid. (Rico Biliran / MindaNews)
