Filipino boxers gun for Asian Games glory

Training camps in three major hubs of Olympic-style boxing — Thailand, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan — are on the radar screen of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) in preparation for the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

ABAP secretary general Marcus Manalo told DAILY TRIBUNE that plans are afoot for the men’s and women’s teams to set up camp as well in Japan.

The Asian Games are scheduled 19 September to 4 October and the Philippines is determined to improve on its lone silver medal production from the rescheduled Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023.

That silver was brought home by Eumir Marcial, who fought in the light-heavyweight class.

The ABAP said that apart from the training camps, also on the horizon are competitions in the Asian Elite Championships in Mongolia, World Boxing Cups in Foz do Iguacu in Brazil in April and in Guiyang City in China in China.

Handling the training of the national boxers in Baguio City are head coach Pat Gaspi, Ronald Chavez and Roel Velasco. Australian Don Abnett remains as the training director.

As of this time, favored to make the Asian Games team are Marcial and fellow big man Weljon Mindoro, who is aching to redeem himself from that heartbreaking early exit in the Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok last December.

Velasco said Mindoro, unbeaten in 15 professional fights, has informed the association of his desire to bounce back.