Wildcat Boxing and Fitness Center backs grassroots combat sports development

By Edwin Rollon

The road to becoming a champion begins with the right training, proper guidance and an opportunity to compete. For aspiring fighters, the Wildcat Boxing and Fitness Training Center aims to provide all three, positioning itself as more than just a gym for fitness enthusiasts.

Margaret Te, a former amateur boxer, founded Wildcat to support grassroots talent by offering young athletes a place to sharpen their skills, gain competitive experience, and pursue their dreams in combat sports.

“At Wildcat, we’re not just entertaining clients looking for a venue to train or improve their physical fitness. Our focus is on helping combat sports by uplifting grassroots sports programs. We have a complete set of equipment to cater to boxing, Muay Thai, jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts,” Te said during the Tabloids Organization in Philippine Sports, Inc. (TOPS) “Usapang Sports” forum at the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Conference Room in Malate, Manila.

Since opening in March last year, Wildcat has hosted inter-club amateur boxing competitions as part of its efforts to discover promising fighters and provide grassroots athletes with opportunities to develop their abilities in the ring.

“We give our young boxers a venue to hone their skills and improve their competitive level. We also open the door for former athletes and coaches to partner with Wildcat in an effort to strengthen our program and promote combat sports to a wider audience,” added Te in the forum supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Behrouz Persian Cuisine and Pocari Sweat.

Te's own experience as an amateur boxer forms the basis of her commitment to grassroots development. She recorded 14 bouts during her fighting career, winning eight of them before moving on to the corporate world.

Her journey as an athlete gave her firsthand knowledge of the challenges aspiring fighters face, particularly when it comes to finding opportunities to train, compete and improve their skills.

“Actually, malaking impluwensiya yung pinagdaanan naming hirap noon. I tried boxing para makakuha ng better opportunity at matutong madepensahan ang aking sarili. Luckily, nakapagtrabaho ako sa corporate world, and after that, I decided to put up Wildcat to give our athletes an alternative avenue to hone their skills,” Te said.

Drawing from those experiences, Te established Wildcat to help provide the kind of training environment she believes young athletes need to progress. Beyond offering facilities and equipment, she hopes the center can serve as a bridge between aspiring fighters, experienced coaches and former athletes willing to share their knowledge with the next generation.

By encouraging partnerships with veteran competitors and trainers, Wildcat also seeks to build a stronger support network for developing athletes while helping bring greater attention to combat sports at the community level.

Expanding opportunities beyond boxing

With boxing serving as an initial platform for its grassroots initiatives, Wildcat plans to expand its competition program to other disciplines.

Te said she intends to organize inter-club or team tournaments in Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and taekwondo, giving young competitors more opportunities to test their skills against athletes from other training centers.

Such competitions could help aspiring fighters gain valuable match experience, assess their progress and prepare for higher-level tournaments. They would also provide coaches with opportunities to evaluate their athletes and identify areas that need improvement.

For Te, the long-term goal is to make Wildcat a venue where athletes can develop not only their physical abilities but also the discipline, confidence and competitive mindset needed to succeed in sports.

The center's emphasis on grassroots development reflects the importance of accessible training facilities and regular competition in building a stronger pipeline of combat sports talent.

Wildcat Boxing and Fitness Training Center is open Monday to Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Through its training programs and planned competitions, Te hopes Wildcat will continue to open doors for aspiring fighters and help more young athletes turn their passion for combat sports into meaningful opportunities.