Pacquiao starts search for new boxing champs

KIDAPAWAN CITY -Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, the only fighter in the history of the sport to win titles in eight weight categories, starts the search for the country’s new champions when he launches ‘Blow By Blow Reloaded” on SaturdaY, Nov. 28, at the city gymnasium in the public plaza in General Santos City, the very place where he started his historic boxing career 20 years ago. Twenty four young boxers will appear in the first staging of the event which will be held monthly in different cities all over the country to draw youngsters to the sport which has served as the lifeline out of poverty by many poor kids in rural Philippines. All the bouts will be shown every Sunday starting Dec. 13 on ABC TV5 which has agreed to support Pacquiao’s mission to discover new boxing heroes. Two bouts will be featured in the weekly feature of Manny Pacquiao Presents… Blow By Blow Reloaded” to be aired at 3 p.m., shortly before the PBA basketball games. We have decided to launch Blow By Blow Reloaded in Gensan because this was where Manny started his boxing career 20 years ago,” said boxing promoter Joselito Mondejar, who along with his friend, the late Ramon Moy” Lainez started the original Blow By Blow which featured a young and skinny power puncher - Manny Pacquiao. At the end of the year-long tournament, a committee headed by Pacquiao himself will choose outstanding boxers in five weight divisions - flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight and welterweight - who will receive Trophies and Cash Awards. The Most Outstanding Boxer of the tournament will also be selected and will receive a cash bonus of P100,000 and a huge Pacquiao Trophy. All six outstanding fighters will then be featured in a big event against foreign fighters, preferably in the United States of America so they could be given the needed international exposure, Mondejar said. On Saturday, undefeated Jilbert Gomera of General Santos City will go up against an outstanding boxer from Malaybalay, Buidnon, Mark Anthony Geraldo, in a bantamweight bout set for 8 rounds. Another expected slambang will be between former IBF Pan Pacific Flyweight champion Ryan Rey Ponteras of Santa Josefa, Agusan del Sur and Donnie Mabao of Manila. The complete card includesand RYAN REY PONTERAS (Agusan Sur) vs. DONNIE MABAO, (Manila) 8 rds., 118 lbs.JILBERT GOMERA (Gen. Santos City) vs. MARK ANTHONY GERALDO (Bukidnon), 8 rds., 118 lbs.ELVIC BICOY (Mindanao) vs. JHALEEL PAYAO (Cebu), 8 rds., 122 lbs.IAN LIGUTAN (Mindanao) vs.SALATIEL AMIT (Cebu) - 8 rds., 112 lbs.EBON LOPEREZ (Manila) vs. JIMBOY HAYA (Cebu) - 6 rds., 106 lbs.RENAN FORTEZ (Mindanao) vs. FILJUN TANEO (Cebu) - 6 rds., 118 lbs.JOEY ANTONIO (Mindanao) vs. REYNARD TADAY (Manila) 6 rds., 108 lbs.JOE TEJONES (Mindanao) vs. JAY-R ALIASOT (Cebu) 6 rds., 122 lbs.ERNIEL CAMPANO (Mindanao) vs.ALEX CAOKTOY (Cebu) - 4 rds., 106 lbs.JOEL LINO (Mindanao) vs.ROMEO GARDE (Mindanao) - 4 rds., 112 lbs.- ARGIE LANUZA (Mindanao) vs.JIMBOY VIJANO (Mindanao) - 4 rds., 106 lbs.- ANNIE MINOR (Mindanao) vs.Martin Padrerogao (Mindanao) 4 rds., 105 lbs.Manny Pacquiao, who represents the lone district of Saranggani in Congress will be at ringside to personally evaluate the performance of the boxers, along with General Santos City Mayor Ronel Rivera.The fights will be free to the public.