Filipino boxers will go home empty-handed after their lost hopes — Jay Bryan Baricuatro and Riza Pasuit — were sent packing in the Round of 16 of the 2025 World Boxing Championships early Wednesday at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool.
Baricuatro suffered a 2-3 loss to Martin Molina Salvador of Spain in the Last 16 of the men’s 50-kilogram class while Pasuit failed to get past Rebeca de Lima Santos of Brazil, 0-5, in the Round of 16 of the women’s 60-kg category of this world-class tournament.
With that, none from the six-man national squad was able to take home a medal in the inaugural staging of this event organized by the world-governing World Boxing.
Two-time Olympic medalist Carlo Paalam, the most distinguished member of the team, also bombed out as he lost to Junior Alcantara-Reyes of the Dominican Republic via split decision in the Round of 32 of the 55-kg division last Sunday.
Junmilardo Ogayre also lost to Biibars Zhexen of Kazakhstan via unanimous decision in the Round of 32 of the men’s 60-kg division while Mark Ashley Fajardo also fell in the Last 32 after a 0-5 loss to Evin Aliiev of Ukraine in the men’s 65-kg class.
Ronald Chavez Jr., the son of national coach Ronald Chavez and former volleyball star Zenaida Ybañez-Chavez, also bombed out early as he lost to Makan Traore of France via unanimous decision in the men’s 70-kilogram division on Tuesday.
Ofelia Magno was supposed to compete as well, but her genetic sex test results did not arrive on time, prompting Team Philippines to sit her out.
Still, Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines president Ricky Vargas is hardly bothered, saying that the event just served as part of their training for the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in December.
“We will have to adjust to the new weight categories. It will be a new kind of training for the boxers,” said Vargas, who didn’t send star boxers like Olympic medalists Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas to the world tiff. They, however, are expected to join the training camp in preparation for the biennial meet.
“Since the SEA Games will be in Thailand, we will set up camp there.”