Bago City — At a bare-bones gym in the central Philippines, children from poor families in torn shoes put on frayed head guards and get to work in pursuit of their Olympic boxing dream -- and a way out of poverty.
This photo taken on June 5, 2024 shows youths training at a boxing gym in Bago City, Negros Occidental province. At a bare-bones gym in the central Philippines, children from poor families in torn shoes put on frayed headguards and get to work in pursuit of their Olympic boxing dream -- and a way out of poverty. AFP PHOTO
Aged 10-18, the young boxers spar in the Bago city gymnasium after school before sleeping under the ring's canvas at night.
Located on the island of Negros, in the sugar-growing region which has some of the country's starkest rich-poor divides, the city of 200,000 calls itself the Philippines "boxing capital".
Eight of the 70 Filipino boxers to have made it to the Olympics got their start at the Bago City gym.
Boxers there work out on peeling punching bags under the buzz of giant old electric fans straining to give some relief from the oppressive tropical heat.