NEGRENSE boxers in the national training pool of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (Abap) are likely candidates for berths in the RP team who will be tapped for training abroad.

This was revealed to Sun.Star Bacolod in a text message Wednesday by national team coach and former Olympian and Asian Games gold medalist Elias Recaido Jr. of Bacolod City.

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“It is possible that (Joan) Tipon, (Gerson) Nietes and Mark John Melligen will be named as part of the national team who will be sent for training in China, Cuba or the US in preparation for future international competitions like the Laos Southeast Asian Games in December this year, the Asian Games and the 2012 London Olympics,” Recaido said.

Abap announced the other day that it plans to send selected boxers for training in three different countries in the hope that said training would benefit the Filipino boxers when they vie in two major international tournaments in the final quarter of the year.

Abap executive secretary Ed Picson was quoted as saying the training is in preparation for the coming World Boxing Championships and the 25th SEAGames in Laos.

As per recommendation of the Abap coaching staff that includes the two Cuban coaches -- Juan Enriquez Steyners Tissert and Badoberto Rojas Scott -- the RP boxers are again bound for possible 30-day training in Cuba.

But Abap is also thinking of accepting a proposal by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) to send the nationals to China, which is slowly emerging as a force to reckon with in boxing as proven by its gold medal wins in the 2008 Beijing Olympics courtesy of light flyweight Shiming Zou and light heavyweight Xiaoping Zhang.

Recaido said he agrees that a training in Cuba “would be the best but it could be quite costly for the country.”

Tipon of Barangay Banago, Bacolod City, Nietes of Barangay Granada, Bacolod City and Mark John Rey Melligen of Barangay Pahanocoy, Bacolod City are three of five Negrense standouts who are now in the Abap national pool.

The others are Ian Clark Bautista of Himamaylan City and Albert Pabila of Barangay Handumanan, Bacolod City. (HCV)