Three-way fight for two national finals spots looms


A three-way fight for two National Match Play finals berths in the girls’ 13-15 division will take centerstage when the ICTSI Junior Philippine Golf Tour concludes its three-leg Visayas series in Bacolod starting Monday at tree-lined Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club.

Tiffany Bernardino, Alexie Gabi and Rane Chiu are locked in a tight race for the two slots in the finale set in October at The Country Club in Laguna, with Bernardino having a lot of momentum after ruling last week’s stop at Bacolod Golf Club in nearby Murcia town.

Players are allowed to compete in multiple series, with their best three results considered. The top four players from Luzon and the top two from Visayas and Mindanao will advance to the match play finals, with the top player from each age category across all series also earning a finals spot.

Gabi topped the Iloilo leg, followed by Bernardino and Chiu. Bernardino then edged out Chiu and Gabi by a stroke last week with Chiu topping Gabi in the countback for runner-up honors.

Points are awarded based on finishes in each leg of the five-month, 14-stage nationwide series organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., with the winner earning 15 points, while the second and third placers gaining 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Other age group categories include 8-9, 10-12, and 16-18 for both boys and girls.



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Pacquiao gets new opponent for Japan exhibition fight


Retired multiple world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao (R) of the Philippines speaks during a press conference at a hotel in Tokyo on June 10, 2024. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP)

Manny Pacquiao will now face a different fighter in his three-round exhibition match in Japan after the retired boxing great’s original opponent was ruled out by injury, organizers said Friday.

The 45-year-old multiple world champion from the Philippines was supposed to fight Chihiro Suzuki on July 28 in Saitama in a 68kg boxing bout of three rounds of three minutes each, with no judges’ decision.

But Suzuki was forced to withdraw after breaking his hand and will be replaced by fellow Japanese mixed martial artist Rukiya Anpo.

READ: Pacquiao set for July exhibition, in talks for title bout vs Barrios

Pacquiao said earlier this month that he was in negotiations to make a comeback to professional boxing after three years away.

He said he was in talks to face American Mario Barrios for a possible WBC welterweight world title later this year, but cautioned that it was still “far away”.

After hanging up his gloves, Pacquiao ran for the Philippines presidency but lost the May 2022 election by a huge margin.

He returned to the ring for an exhibition in Seoul in December 2022 against a South Korean YouTuber.



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Anthony Joshua to fight Daniel Dubois for IBF heavyweight belt


Britain’s Anthony Joshua, left, and Daniel Dubois during a press conference at the OVO Arena, Wembley, London, Wednesday June 26, 2024. ( Jordan Pettitt/PA via AP)

LONDON— Anthony Joshua will fight Daniel Dubois in an all-British bout for the IBF heavyweight belt on Sept. 21 at Wembley Stadium, following Oleksandr Usyk’s announcement that he will vacate the world title.

Dubois was the the IBF’s mandatory challenger and was upgraded to champion after Usyk vacated the belt, meaning the Ukrainian is no longer be the undisputed world heavyweight champion.

“I’m ready to let my fists do the talking,” the 26-year-old Dubois said at a press conference Wednesday after the bout was announced.

READ: Anthony Joshua defeats Ngannou with brutal second-round KO

The 37-year-old Usyk beat Tyson Fury last month in Saudi Arabia to become the first undisputed world heavyweight champion in 24 years. He added Fury’s WBC title to his own WBA, IBF and WBO belts.

Fury’s rematch with Usyk is scheduled for Dec. 21, again in Saudi Arabia. After that fight, Usyk is considering dropping a weight and returning to box at cruiserweight.

READ: Usyk edges Tyson Fury to become undisputed heavyweight champion

“Anthony and Daniel, listen. I know (the) IBF title is important to you,” the smiling Usyk said in a video posted on X. ”(It is) my present to you.”

The 34-year-old Joshua is a two-time former heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist from the London Games. He stopped Francis Ngannou in the second round in March as he worked to rebuild his reputation after losing his three title belts in the first of consecutive losses to Usyk in 2021 and 2022. ___



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