Filipino boxers locked and loaded

The five-man Philippine boxing team is ready to rumble with no less than the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) making that guarantee as they enter the final phase of the preparations for the Paris Olympics.

“So far, so good,” reported national team coach Ronald Chavez said from the site of their training camp in Saarbrucken, Germany.

Chavez, who took part in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, swears Eumir Marcial and Carlo Paalam in the men’s and Nesthy Petecio, Aira Villegas and Hergie Bacyadan in the women’s, are all eager to head into battle.

“Ready to rumble,” Chavez proudly said.

Even ABAP secretary general Marcus Manalo believes all bases have been covered as the Philippines bids to put a painful end to its gold medal quest in the Olympics.

“Things are going well. We will start to taper and reduce the training load this week. The boxers are ready,” he said.

Last time in Tokyo, Paalam and Petecio brought home silver medals while Marcial bagged a bronze.

To get ready for the Olympics, the boxers trained all over the world and competed in major meets.

While Marcial, a veteran of five professional fights, did camp in the United States, he also joined the national team in Thailand after becoming the first to qualify when he finished second in the Hangzhou Asian Games.

The four others made the grade after competing in the two Olympic qualifying events held in Italy and Thailand this year.

Marcial will be the first to see action on 27 July — the day after the opening ceremonies — followed by Paalam and Villegas on the 28th, Petecio on the 30th and Bacyadan on the 31st.