HOST Bacolod City will field no less than 55 male boxers plus another six female pugs in the 2009 smart-Abap National Amateur Boxing Championships slated January 16-24 at the Negros Occidental Multi-Purpose Activity Center in Bacolod City.

Negros Amateur Boxing Association (Naba) Commissioner Nonoy Quiatchon said this time they are making sure they have the numbers needed to contend for medals.

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"The more entries we have, the better and since we are the host, we'd rather take advantage by fielding as many boxers possible so we can avoid being in the same situation as last year," Quiatchon told Sun.Star in an interview Wednesday.

He said Bacolod City finished second runner-up overall in Iloilo City last year with only 16 boxers. Bago City finished first runner-up with 32 boxers while overall champion North Cotabato fielded 46 boxers.

Joren Labordo (36 kgs.) and Gerson Nietes (48 kgs.) will spearhead the Bacolod City campaign in this year's national championships after they both came home with gold medals from last year's campaign.

Meanwhile, Sun.Star Bacolod learned Wednesday that national boxer Mitchel Martinez has expressed a desire to compete for Bacolod City in the event which will also feature boxers in the national pool carrying the colors of Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force and Philippine Army, among others.

It was not, however, clear whether her request for inclusion in the Bacolod contingent was granted or not. It was not immediately known likewise if Bacoleño national boxers Joan Tipon and Albert Pabila, both protégées of Naba, are going to see action for any of the AFP teams.

Tipon, a native of Barangay Banago, Bacolod City, was a bantamweight gold medalist in the 2006 15th Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, while Pabila of Barangay Handumanan, Bacolod City is a Southeast Asian Games light flyweight bronze medalist.

Both Quiatchon and Naba referee Cesar Gamboa confirmed Wednesday that the host boxers will concentrate their campaign in the youth category of the national competition.

In other developments, the 19-man contingent from Tagbilaran City, Bohol was among the early arrivals for the week-long national tournament, having arrived a week ahead and is now billeted at Bascon Hotel. This was confirmed by Naba vice-president for South Negros Oscar 'Dodong' Bascon.

Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao was confirmed to arrive on Friday, January 16, as the special guest of the opening ceremony. He is scheduled to go on a motorcade around Bacolod City's major thoroughfares shortly after his arrival Friday.

The tournament, hosted by the congressional district office of Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella, chairman of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and vice chairman of the House Committee on Youth and Sports in cooperation with Naba, headed by Games and Amusement Board commissioner Juan Ramon 'Monju' Guanzon, will be open to the public for free.

Among the standout boxers expected to carry Bacolod City's colors in this event are those who topped their respective categories during the lst Monico Golden Gloves Inter-Barangay Amateur Boxing Tournament held last December 2007 as a grassroots outreach program of Puentevella's congressional district office.

Expected to arrive for the week-long competitions are Abap president Ricky Vargas and chairman Manny Pangilinan, as well as secretary general Patrick Gregorio, former Abap head and now vice-president Manny Lopez, and former secretary general Roger Fortaleza, among others.