The Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) has high hopes for British head coach Kevin Smith as the national boxers attempt to rock the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan.

ABAP president Marcus Manalo said the mentor from Liverpool had no difficulty adjusting because he used to visit Baguio City where he usually held training camps while coaching Australia and later serving as Saudi Arabia’s technical director.

Smith will take over from Australian coach Don Abnett, who will now lend his expertise to grassroots development.

“Coach Kevin was actually with us during the time of the late Ed Picson. I first met him when I entered ABAP. He’s a brilliant boxing mind,” Manalo said.

“The adjustment has been easy because he loves the Philippines. Even when he was Australia’s head coach and later Saudi Arabia’s technical director, he regularly brought those teams to Baguio for training camps. We’re really looking forward to what he can bring.”

Boxing will be held at the Nishio Gymnasium from 21 to 30 September as the Philippines looks to end a 16-year gold medal drought.

Manalo said they will hold training camps in Thailand and Japan to ensure the team is in peak condition.

“There will be two phases arranged by Asian Boxing. The first is in Bangkok from 25 August to 8 September. The second will be in Japan from 9 to 16 September,” Manalo said.