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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Boxing devider Busy year ahead for PH boxers

Busy year ahead for PH boxers

Published Feb 20, 2026 02:54 pm

At A Glance

  • After a roller coaster of 2025 that ended with the Philippine boxing team only claiming one gold medal in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, Manalo is hoping for more podium finishes this year.
ABAP President Marcus Manalo.
ABAP President Marcus Manalo.

Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP) president Marcus Manalo is set for a baptism of fire in his first year as the federation’s top official.

After a roller coaster of 2025 that ended with the Philippine boxing team only claiming one gold medal in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, Manalo is hoping for more podium finishes this year.

For one, it would be a hectic schedule for the PH pugs this year.

“Well, I feel like 2025 could have been better for us. It's another year, so we have big plans for this year. As you know, loaded rin yung calendar this year with the upcoming major tournaments,” said Manalo.

Manalo, who attended the annual Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards Night on Monday, Feb. 16 at the Diamond Hotel, was just recently elected as the president of the federation and is expected to have his hands full with the competitions lineup for the PH boxers.

The Filipino pugs will be seeing action first in the World Boxing Cup slated in April in Brazil for the stage 1 and then in June in China. The finals, meanwhile, are set in Uzbekistan in November.

The Asian Boxing Championship, meanwhile, will be happening in Mongolia from March 28 to April 11. The Asian Games is scheduled in September while the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games is in November.

The PH young boxers are also seeing action in the Youth Olympic Games in October in Senegal.

“Talaga loaded calendar ito for boxing. So, I'm really looking forward to this year. Hopefully, we can get to the podium a lot more this year compared to 2025,” he added.

Though only in his first year as president, Manalo assured he’s ready to embrace the bigger responsibility.

“Definitely, bigger responsibility. But at the same time, it's an exciting challenge,” said Manalo.

“Kasi, again, there are plenty of opportunities both at the local and international level. So, yeah, really looking forward to the challenges and hope we can really bring more to the sport of boxing, both local and international,” he added.

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