Draw crucial in RP boxers campaign

HO CHI MINH (Via Globe Telecom) — After all the hard works and efforts in practice, now come the prayers for the Philippine boxing team as it hopes for the best breaks in this morning draw before initial action in the slugfest in the 22nd SEA Games at the Phan Dinh Phung Sports Center.

Getting early break among the Filipino pugs was Joan Tipon (54kg), following Thai star Chotipat Wongprate’s ouster on a back injury sustained in practice.

Wongprates was one of seven Thai fighters who gained top honors in their continued superb showing in the Games in 2001 in Supanburi, Malaysia.

Five of them — Suban Pannon (48kg), Somjit Jongjohor (51kg), Sutthisak Samaksaman (57kg), Manon Boonjummong (69kg) and Songmai Chimlum (75kg) — are still in the Thai roster. And these are fighters whom the Filipinos hope not to face in the early rounds of the competition.

"Kapag maganda-ganda ang resulta ng draw, siguradong hahakot tayo ng ginto," said coach George Caliwan, confident the RP pugs will make a big turnaround from their fruitless campaign in Malaysia.

Caliwan and fellow coaches Boy Velasco and Pat Gaspi are pinning their hopes on those in the lighter divisions like Juanito Magliquian (45kg), Harry Tanamor (48kg) and Violito Payla (51kg).

"Diyan sa maliliit, kahit Thailand na kaagad ang kalaban. Para magkaalaman na kaagad," said Velasco.

This doesn’t mean though that Team Philippines is taking the other teams for granted.

The RP coaching staff concurred Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam could put up some opposition.