The country's amateur boxing will be getting a much needed boost as the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) expressed their inmterest to work together with the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP).

According to a report by the Philippines News Agency (PNA), AIBA President Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu said “the Philippines is important to AIBA and boxing is important to the Filipino people.”

Wu told this to the visiting Philippine delegation in Taiwan, led by ABAP President Ricky Vargas, Secretary-General Patrick Gregorio and Executive Director Ed Picson.

The AIBA president also promised to flush out graft and corruption from his organization to restore the body’s “tarnished image.” He said the AIBA already suspended its secretary-general, two vice-presidents, and five executive committee members for acts unfavorable to the association.

“My goal is to make AIBA free of suspicion, clean, honest and transparent," Wu said.

Meanwhile, Vargas informed Wu that the ABAP will bid to hold one of Asia’s two Olympic qualifying tournament events in 2012.

The ABAP, under the chairmanship of Manny Pangilinan, also plans to acquire an Asian franchise to the World Series of Boxing next year, and bid for the 3rd AIBA Boxing Academy after Canada and Russia.

Wu, meantime, also told the ABAP officials of his efforts to have women’s boxing included in the 2012 London Olympics.

This proposal will be decided on by the International Olympic Committee in October during the 13th Olympic Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark.