Phl punchers target Asian Games glory

The Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) remains upbeat that 2026 is going to be a banner year notwithstanding the horrendous experience it had during the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA) in Thailand.

Only Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Eumir Marcial survived the onslaught of alleged officiating misfires, bagging the gold medal in the 80 kilogram class.

Marcial may have suffered the same fate as the others if he ended up battling a Thai for the top podium finish.

Instead, Marcial, who has fought in the professional ranks, met an Indonesian for the gold and fortunately earned the judges’ scorecards.

Those who wound up taking on Thais for the gold medal ended up with the silver medal as the host nation ran away with 14 of the 17 top spots.

It was the Philippines, Thailand’s perennial rival in the biennial sportsfest, that was severely affected by the judging as its gold medal prospects fell by the wayside amid the avalanche of spurious scoring.

Although the practice is kind of accepted in the SEA Games, the ABAP could not help but raise a howl.

In fact, the ABAP is corresponding with World Boxing, the governing body for Olympic and amateur boxing, to look into the anomalies in Bangkok.

ABAP secretary general Marcus Manalo said the officiating was spotty.

“We are gonna write to World Boxing. We’re speaking to the technical delegate and they don’t even want to speak to me anymore,” he told the POC Media Pool.

Manalo feels that officiating has to improve because boxing might end up being axed if the same problem persists.

Boxing has been included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics but it could be scratched off given the same problems.

“That’s what we are going to express to World Boxing, at least to have an inquiry here because this can’t go on. There were blatant and bad decisions,” Manalo added.

With the SEAG now on the rear view window, the ABAP is looking forward to its stint in the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya in September-October 2026.

On the strength of his strong showing in Bangkok, Marcial, who also fought in the Paris Olympics, might end up reverting to amateur once again if his schedule jives.

Even his American representative Sean Gibbons was so impressed by Marcial’s performance that he is no longer ruling out the possibility of his fighter fighting for flag and country.

“He might even make the Olympics again,” Gibbons said.

Aside from Marcial, ABAP is pinning its hopes on the fast-rising Jay Baricuatro and also Tokyo Olympics silver medalists Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio and Paris bronze medalist Aira Villegas.

Paalam didn’t see action in Bangkok as he is devoting his training to the Asian Games, signs that the accomplished fighter from Cagayan de Oro is dead-set on making another medal run for 2028.

Now that the ABAP has left the SEA Games behind, things are looking up for Philippine boxing.