The Cagayan de Oro (CdO) boxing team is one of the top favorites in the Batang Pinoy in Palawan since it will be coached by one of the country’s most accomplished fighters.

Elmer Pamisa, who shone internationally for the Philippines in a bevy of tournaments across the globe, will give out pointers during the meet taking place in Puerto Princesa starting Saturday.

Pamisa told DAILY TRIBUNE his nine wards have been training almost the entire year and are confident they can give a good fight in the annual multi-sport conclave for athletes 15 years old and under.

He is also teaching his boxers the lessons he learned during his trips worldwide.

“For me, I am just sharing my experience and lessons I learned in seminars like in Kazakhstan and going to other countries like Cuba,” said Pamisa, whose skillset brought him to Thailand, Finland and Cuba.

Cagayan de Oro will be competing in three categories in this year’s Batang Pinoy.

In the School Boys category, Lemmuel James Payla will be competing in the 40-kilogram division, Erjohn Lee Mar Caballero in the 44-kg division, and Jobert Abragan Jr. in the 42-kg division.

For the Junior Boys category, Ivans Llaban in the 46-kg division, Gabriel Caranay in the 48-kg division, Steven Pj Mancia in the men’s 50-kg division, John Michael Estorba in the 52-kg division, Joel Rosas Jr. in the 54-kg division.

Mary Joy Canoy is the lone female boxer representing Cagayan de Oro as she will fight in the Junior Girls 54-kg division.

With this year’s Batang Pinoy only limiting each local government unit to sending a maximum of 10 boxers, Cagayan de Oro won’t be able to surpass its 9-1-7 gold-silver-bronze medal haul from last year.

But Pamisa believes with his teaching and way of training being similar to the ones used by the likes of two-time Olympic medalist Nesthy Petecio and Tokyo Summer Games silver medalist Carlo Paalam, his pugs won’t feel intimidated.

After all, he is not just setting them up for glory but also securing them a possible stint in the national team in the future.

“They have discipline in maintaining their weight. They wake up at 6 a.m. and weigh-in. This is also how we do it in the national team,” Pamisa said.

“This tournament is also where we will scout those who have the potential to fight overseas. This training is so that when they get selected to train for the national team in Manila, it will be easy for them.”