WBO KIDS DRUG FREE IN CEBU (PHOTOS)

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

By Rene Bonsubre, Jr. –

CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES – The SOS Children’s Village played host to the World Boxing Organization’s WKDF Drug Free Program activities held Monday afternoon.

The SOS Children’s Village in Talamban,Cebu City is home to children who are orphaned or abandoned. It is one of many branches nationwide that give children in need a home and facilities for education and development.

The WBO sponsored a sports event for the kids living inside the village. The children were divided into four teams – with shirts colored yellow, blue, black and red with the WBO logo as uniforms – for a tug-of-war competition.

The teams were matched in a best of three test of strength with the Blue Team emerging as the champion. The children had lots of fun the entire afternoon and were treated with a sumptuous meal by the organizers.

All the participants were awarded school bags and they were also given rubberized mats that can be sued for sports and school activities. On hand for the event and giving prizes to the winners and participants was WBO Asia Pacific VP Leon Panoncillo assisted by Promoter Sammy Gello-ani.

They also provided short speeches to the children reminding them to stay away from drugs and pursue their education or a career in boxing or other sports. Also on hand in organizing the event was Gello-ani’s wife Cora.

WBO VP Panoncillo received a plaque from appreciation from the Children’s Village. The SOS also works in hand with the Cebu City Task Force for Street Children. More than a hundred kids are being cared for inside this facility.

Also on hand for the WBO “Say No to Drugs” program were boxers form the SGG stable, WBO judges Edgar Olalo, Salven Lagumbay, Arnie Najera and Edward Ligas, referees Tony Pesons and Romar Embodo, and PBC/Macao ring inspectors Arcade Terrado and Martin Redona.

The Yellow Team in the WBO Tug-of-War game held at the SOS Children-s Village in Cebu.

The Blue Team celebrates after winning the finals.

WBO Vice-President for Asia-Pacific Leon Panoncillo poses with the runner-up winner Black Team.

Panoncillo with the finals winner Blue Team.

Panoncillo distributes the WBO bags and rubber mats giveaway to the children.

Panoncillo gives the cash awards to a member of the winning team.

Panoncillo speaks during the awarding of the prizes and the distribution of WBO gifts to the SOS Children’s Village in Cebu.

Panoncillo receives a certificate of appreciation from SOS Children’s Village official Delia Saberon.

WBO boxing officials and boxing personalities in Cebu who joined the Monday WBO Kids Drug Free Program in Cebu.

More photos:

http://philboxing.com/news/story-110548.html

One time welterweight title prospect Mark Jason Melligen is making a determined comeback and according to his promoter Sammy Gello-ani will fight for the WBO Asia Pacific title on September 15.

Gello-ani said Melligen has impressed him with his commitment and hard work in the gym and he plans to reward the talented southpaw with a regional title fight.

Gello-ani told the Manila Standard that Melligen is “back in the training camp in Balianga, Misamis Oriental and we are still negotiating for an opponent either a Thai or an Indonesian.”

He said Melligen has “a very strong motivation and has the desire to succeed again.”
Gello-ani revealed that the mindset of Melligen who feels “more challenged now to prove something.

He disclosed that when Melligen initially arrived at the training camp he was “so big but when he fought last July 16 he trimmed down easily and told me ‘Sir I will fight at 147.”

Gello-ani told Melligen “okay, that’s no problem if that will be your fighting weight. Prepare well and I will get you a title shot.”

The 26 year old southpaw has a record of 22-3 with 15 knockouts and is coming off a 1st round TKO of journeyman Dondon Lapuz last July 16 which followed a one year layoff after he lost badly to Argentina’s Sebastian Andres Lujan on July 1, 2011.

In what Top Rank believed was a career defining fight an out-of-condition Melligen was dropped in rounds 6, 7, 8 and 9 and lost by a ninth round knockout.

A prospect of Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, Melligen was given a second chance by the promoter after he dropped a ten round split decision in a crucial clash with Michel Rosales. But after winning five fights in a row against tough opponents Melligen failed to train hard and lost to Lujan which ended his chances with Top Rank.

Melligen claims he has learned his lesson the hard way and is ready to return and prove his worth.

By: Ronnie Nathanielsz

http://www.boxingscene.com/melligen-fight-wbo-regional-belt-on-sept-15th–55537

|Mark Jason Melligen|Sammy Gello-Ani|WBO Asia Pacific|Welterweight

Well known promoter Sammy Gelloani is confident that undefeated flyweight Froilan “The Sniper” Saludar can win a world title if given a chance.

Saludar is currently ranked No. 2 by the WBO behind ALA Promotions Milan Melindo with another Filipino Brian Viloria reigning as champion. Saludar is also ranked No. 8 by the IBF, No. 9 by the WBC and No. 15 by the WBA.

But before he aspires for a world title shot, Saludar will have to overcome the challenge of Mexico’s Alejandro “Terrible” Morales whom he battles at the Hoops Dome in Lapu Lapu City on Saturday in an exciting fight card that also features former WBO world super flyweight champion “Marvelous” Marvin Sonsona who is trying desperately to make a comeback and earn another world title shot.

The fighters as well as Gello-ani will be present at a press conference to be held at Masas restaurant in Greenbelt 2 in Makati at 12 noon on Wednesday, hosted by AKTV 13 which will telecast the fights on a slightly delayed basis from the Hoops Dome at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday.

The 23 year old Morales is considered a typical Mexican warrior who comes to fight and has an impressive record of 13-1 with 7 knockouts to back him up. His only loss was in a battle of then undefeated fighters when he was stunned by Julio Ceja (16-0, 14 KO’s) in a 1st round TKO loss in a WBC FECARBOX super flyweight title fight on September 3, 2011. However, Morales quickly recovered from that setback with a unanimous eight round decision over Israel Rojas on October 7, 2011.

Reports on Morales received by the Standard state that he is impressive against fighters who are not in the top of the rankings and that he had “stepped up a bit in his 2nd round knockout of Patricio Camacho” on April 29, 2011.

Gello-ani told BoxingScene.com/Manila Standard “I am very confident of Saludar if he is given an opportunity very early for the world title. He is very disciplined, has a matured mind and the ambition. Everything is with him.”

The promising Saludar has a record of 14-0-1 with 11 knockouts and is the current WBO Asia Pacific and WBO Youth flyweight champion. He is coming off a 1st round knockout of a veteran of 51 fights, Nelson Llanos last December 23. Saludar dropped Llanos twice in the opening round with devastating body shots before the referee waved the fight off..

Saludar won the WBO title with a 10th round TKO over a battling Gabriel Pumar in an action-packed title fight at the Island Cove in Cavite on August 6, 2011 which was also covered by AKTV IBC 13.

by Ronnie Nathanielsz

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=50563