ROGER Fortaleza, former Southeast Asian Games silver medalist and secretary-general of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines or the precursor to the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP), passed away on Thursday due to lingering illness.
He was 62.
Until his death, Mr. Fortaleza was a three-star International Referee-Judge and snared a silver as a national boxer in the 1977 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia before serving as ABAP secretary-general under then president Manny Lopez more than decade ago.
“The entire boxing community mourns the death of a dedicated boxing man and a good friend,” said ABAP president Ed Picson.
Mr. Fortaleza is survived by wife Rosemarie and children Renzanne, Reygel and Edrian.