MVPSF eyes more Olympic boxers

The MVP Sports Foundation — the chief backer of the national boxing team — hopes that more boxers will qualify in the Paris Olympics.

MVPSF executive director Jude Turcuato said they are keeping their fingers crossed, hoping that more boxers will qualify to surpass the four-man team that the Association of the Boxing Alliances of the Philippines deployed to Tokyo in 2021.

So far, three boxers have already made the Olympic grade in Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas.

Marcial punched his ticket to Paris after earning a silver medal in the men's 80-kilogram event of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China last year while Petecio and Villegas advanced to the Summer Games following their victorious performances in the 2024 1st World Olympic Boxing Qualifying in Busto Arsizio, Italy earlier this week.

Petecio, a silver medalist in the Tokyo Games, hammered a 4-1 victory over Esra Kahraman Yildiz of Turkey in the women's 57-kg division while Villegas scored a unanimous decision over Zlatislava Chukanova of Bulgaria in the women's 50-kg class.

"For us, we are looking forward to having more Olympians than the four that qualified before then," Turcuato told Daily Tribune in a conversation.

"We are hoping that we will have even more boxers come in but whoever comes in. Hopefully, they all get a medal in Paris.

Turcuato is counting on former Olympians Carlo Paalam and Rogen Ladon to catch the last bus headed for Paris.

Paalam, a silver medalist in Tokyo, was impressive but suffered a shoulder injury in his Round of 16 battle with Shukur Ovezov of Turkmenistan in the men's 57-kg division while Ladon, who campaigned in the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016, suffered a tough 4-1 split decision setback to Kiaran MacDonald of Great Britain in the men's 51-kg event.

They will have their chances to qualify in the second World Olympic Boxing Qualifying in Bangkok this May.

Ladon has to reach the semifinals while Paalam has to get a bronze medal to book a trip to the French capital and complete the five-man national boxing squad.

Turcuato said they are ready to provide everything that the boxers need.

"ABAP is a top NSA (national sports association) we support not only because our vice president, Ricky Vargas, is the chairman, but because it's always been a sport where we always excel," Turcuato said.

"That has been our focus."