The boxing charity event with Chief PNP Police General Nicholas Torre III and Davao City Vice Mayor Baste Duterte as the main event pushes through at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila on July 27, 2025, despite Duterte not showing up. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News
MANILA (UPDATED) — A much-anticipated boxing match between the chief of the Philippine National Police and the acting mayor of Davao City on Sunday was a no contest with just Police Gen. Nicolas Torre III showing up.
Torre, who warmed up in the ring with a boxing coach, will have to fight Duterte another day, if at all.
The charity bout drew over 4,000 spectators, according to the Manila Police District.
Torre told the crowd at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila that the matches raised more than P300,000 in ticket sales and more than P16 million in donations.
He assured the public that all proceeds from the event would be directed toward relief efforts for those affected by the recent natural calamities.
"We have to show up and give the people what they expect. Expected rin siguro ng mga tao na hindi siya darating so nagpakita na rin lang ako," said Torre.
The PNP earlier said Department of Social Welfare and Development representatives would be at the event to receive the funds raised.
In a statement, the DSWD expressed its gratitude to Torre and the PNP for their donation.
"The huge amount of donation will go a long way in terms of assistance to millions of our fellow Filipinos who were affected by the habagat and other weather disturbances," said DSWD spokesperson Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao.
The ring announcer introduced Duterte as the sitting vice mayor of the 'King City of the South' before the live feed carried by the PNP's official Facebook page was cut.
Torre was declared the “winner by default” after Duterte failed to appear.
Venue ready for supposed boxing match between PNP chief Torre and Baste Duterte
Tensions between the two public officials escalated the previous week after Duterte publicly challenged Torre to a fistfight which Torre accepted.
However, Duterte later withdrew the challenge, stating that he never truly intended to fight.
He added that he would only agree to the match if Torre could only convince the President and all elected officials in the country to undergo hair follicle drug testing.
“Kaming dalawa lang naman ang involved dito. Kung hair follicle test sa aming dalawa ay anytime, anywhere pwedeng pwede ba mag-hair follicle test kami,” Torre responded. “Nakita nyo naman napakalaki ng pagod at effort na inilagay dito. I don’t think he is worth responding to at this point in time. Hayaan na muna natin siya sa kanyang mundo.”
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DUTERTE: NOT TODAY
The boxing charity event with Chief PNP Police General Nicholas Torre III and Davao City Vice Mayor Baste Duterte as the main event pushes through at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila on July 27, 2025, despite Duterte not showing up. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News
Duterte, in a vlog post, begged off from the Sunday match, saying he had "other things to do."
He said Torre did not coordinate with him on the fight schedule and that he would be available on other days.
“Gusto mo, puntahan kita. Walang camera, suntukan tayo, walang gloves,” he said as he hinted that Torre was "using" the match to divert attention from "real issues."
(If you want, I will go to you. No cameras, no gloves, just a fistfight.)
He also set the condition for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare that all elected officials should take hair follicle tests — a jab at debunked rumors that the President uses drugs.
Thousands of spectators lined up early Sunday morning outside the Rizal Memorial Coliseum to witness the highly anticipated charity boxing match between Torre and Duterte.
Dubbed “Laban Para sa Nasalanta” the event aimed to raise funds for families affected by recent storms and the southwest monsoon.
Attendees bought tickets on entry at P100 for Upper Box, P500 for Lower Box, P3,700 for Patron, and P5,400 for floor seats.
Meanwhile, boxing legend and former Senator Manny Pacquiao also donated one of his boxing belts which will be auctioned by the PNP to further support relief its efforts.
Chris, a resident of Galas in Quezon City, said he wanted to see if Duterte, who left for Singapore on Friday and has imposed conditions on the fight, would show up.
He said he could not say who would win the fight because Torres may have an advantage because of his experience in the police service but the younger Duterte is bigger.
Mac, who bought tickets to the fight, said he traveled from Muntinlupa City to see the match.
“Ang inaasahan ko ay isang magandang laban (I hope there will be a good fight).” — with Jessie Cruzat, ABS-CBN News
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