DAVAO CITY -- The Games and Amusements Board (GAB) will double its efforts to help Filipino professional boxers secure more victories in the future.
"We'll double our efforts so that there will always be fellow Filipinos who'll bring home pride and glory as the most competitive boxers worldwide in all divisions where they qualify," said GAB Chairman Abraham Kahlil "Baham" Mitra.
GAB was adjudged as the Best Boxing Commission by the World Boxing Council (WBC) recently in Azerbaijan.
GAB earned it mainly for giving free CT scan, medical and laboratory tests for professional boxers starting this year.
Mitra, who is also the president of the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF), accompanied reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) world super bantamweight champion Jerwin "Pretty Boy" Ancajas for a courtesy call to President Rody Duterte at the Malacanang last December 5.
Also present were GAB Commissioners Eduard Trinidad and Mar Masanguid, Ancajas' trainer-manager Joven Jimenez and WBO International minimumweight champion Mark Anthony Barriga.
Ancajas (28W-1L-1D, 19 KOs) had just successfully defended his title for the third time by stopping Irish challenger Jamie Conlan last November 18 at the SSE Arena in Belfast.
He is now scheduled to make another title defense on February 3 against Mexican Israel Gonzalez (21W-1L-0D, 8 KOs) at the Bank of America Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.
"President Duterte himself is a true fan and attends fights featuring Filipinos. Ancajas' road to Malacanang brings personal pride to the President," said Mitra.
"The courtesy call highlights President Duterte's personal recognition of a fellow Dabawenyo's contribution to Philippine Boxing. Jerwin's visit to Malacanang breaks the nostalgia of Heroes Hall for the glory days of Filipino boxing," Mitra said. (PNA)
