THE 3rd Kapuso Amateur Boxing Cup will be staged with two tournaments on March 15 and 16 at the City Hall Drive to highlight the 73rd Araw ng Dabaw celebration.
GMA Channel 5 Davao station manager Mariles Gamboa-Puentevella, appearing in Thursday's regular Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at the Tower Inn, said this year's edition of their sports project is a different event from the past two stagings since they will be holding an invitational meet on the second day.
Puentevella said they expect participants from Valencia, Bukidnon, North Cotabato, Digos, Davao del Norte and Jose Abad Santos (JAS) to join the invitational tournament.
She said they have extended participation to out-of-town boxers to also provide opportunities for them to compete unlike in the past two years where only Davao City residents were accommodated.
"Having boxers from other cities and provinces will raise the level of competition and will provide good exposure for local boxers as well," Puentevella said.
To add more excitement to the two-day proceedings, a gay boxing match and a girl exhibition match will serve as sidelights in the slugfest jointly organized by GMA, Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (Abap) Davao and Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council).
Abap Davao head coach Ronnie Sumampong said 20 bouts will be held each day with three rounds per bout.
Sumampong said Davao City boxers, led by Asian Youth Boxing Championships bronze medalist Engelbert Moralde, are ready to compete.
"Kusog na atong team karon. Andam kaayo atong mga boksidor para sa torneyo kay kining Kapuso tournament nagsilbi usab ng preparasyon sa mga mudulaay sa Davraa Meet (Our team is strong. Our boxers are ready considering that this Kapuso event will serve as part of preparations for our Davao Region Athletic Association-bound boxers)," Sumampong said.
Kapuso celebrities have been invited to grace the awarding rites on March 16.