ED Picson believes his extensive network and experience with the global boxing community for over a decade might have given him the inside track in getting elected as the new president of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines last week.
“It could have been that,” said Picson, who had served as the ABAP executive director and secretary general since 2008 under the presidency of Ricky Vargas, yesterday.
Picson, 68, replaced Vargas, 69, who remained as ABAP chairman.
“I am honored to turn over the baton to Ed as my successor. He s the most qualified and deserving of the position,” Vargas stressed. “Ed is a principled and honest man who believes in good governance, cares very much for our boxers and is hands on. I am confident he will bring ABAP to the next level.”
House Deputy Speaker Robbie Puno was elected vice president while former congressman Raul Daza was tapped as vice chairman.
It was Picson who recommended Australian mentor Don Abnett, the former Aussie boxing squad coach, as national team consultant in early 2019.
A former associate of the renowned Australian Institute for Sport, Abnett provided his expertise as Pinoy boxers performed well in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games and the recent Tokyo Summer Games.
They wound up on top of the heap in the nine-nation SEA Games boxing tournament two years ago with seven gold, three silver and seven bronze medals.
The national fighters also had their most successful Olympic outing in the Tokyo Games as Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio went home with a silver medal apiece and Eumir Felix Marcial a bronze medal.
