By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Internationally respected referee Bruce McTavish of New Zealand who married a Filipina and has made his home in Angeles City will conduct a boxing seminar in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan province in central China next week.

McTavish will be accompanied by the head of the Medical Division of the Games and Amusements Board Dr. Nasser Cruz and well-known referee Ferdinand Estrella.

McTavish said that China doesn’t have truly professional boxing referees, judges and pro boxing medical personnel and they had invited him to bring respected officials from the Philippines to conduct a two-day seminar and to help educate their Chinese counterparts since boxing is growing in popularity in China. McTavish lauded the Chinese who he said are “willing to learn.”

The New Zealander represented the WBC in a meeting in Chengdu which is making a bid to host the 2006 WBC Convention following a meeting with WBC president Jose Sulaiman at the recent “Night of Champions” in Cancun, Mexico.

McTavish who just returned from China said the Chengdu officials held a press conference at which they made what he described as “a brilliant presentation.”

McTavish said Estrella and he would officiate in a fight card scheduled on April 15 in which Huang Yan Chao battles Thailand’s Sintung Kietbusaba for the vacant ABC welterweight title and Wu Zhi Yu clashes with Fiji’s Sakeasi Dakua for the vacant ABC cruiser weight crown.

One week earlier a clash for the vacant Women International Boxing Association bantamweight title will be held in Chengdu featuring American Alicia Ashley against China’s Cheng Qin.