RP pugs seek three more Olympic slots

PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan — Having secured three Olympic boxing berths, Team Philippines eyes the same number of slots in the last two stagings of the Asian Boxing Championships qualifiers in China and Pakistan in its continuing search for a first-ever gold in the quadrennial games.

"We are aiming for at least three more berths. Hopefully, we could achieve that in the next two qualifying tournaments in China and Pakistan," said Manny Lopez, the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) president who is also the secretary-general of the Federation of Amateur Asian Boxers (FAAB), Asia’s governing boxing body.

Although ABAP said it will still deliberate the composition of the teams competing in China and Pakistan, lightflyweight Harry Tañamor looms as the lone fighter from the original squad who will be given another crack at the Olympic berth.

"Malamang si Harry lang ang makasama sa China. Yung iba pag-aaralan pa sa Manila ng RP team coaching staff," said a boxing official.

Tañamor, the lone gold medal winner in last year’s Hanoi Southeast Asian Games and the first Afro-Asian Games and a silver medalist in the 2002 Busan Asiad, lost to eventual silver medalist Zou Shiming of China in the quarterfinals.

Other bets who failed in their bids were bantamweight Arlan Lerio, featherweight Junard Ladon, lightweight Florencio Ferrer, welterweight Francis Joven and light middleweight Maraon Golez.

Through the exploits of flyweight Violito Payla, light welterweight Romeo Brin and middleweight Chris Camat, Team Philippines booked three slots in this year’s Olympic Games in Athens, its 3-of-9 effort already a feat in itself considering the toughness and the level of the competing field.

"I give the Filipino boxers a passing mark. Three of our nine boxers making the Olympics is already a very good accomplishment considering the level of competition, which is world class," said Lopez.

The power-punching Payla and the comebacking Brin even went on to win their respective divisions and claim the gold medals with victories over 2002 Busan Asian Games gold medalist Kim Ki Suk of South Korea and Dilshod Mahmunov of Uzbekistan, respectively.

Although Camat lost the crown to Gennadi Goulikin of Kazakhstan via a second round stoppage, the 24-year-old Fil-Am still realized his Olympic dream with that silver-medal finish in the event, which served as the first of three Asian elims organized by ABAP, Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes and Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn.

The second qualifiers are set March 18-26 in China while Pakistan hosts the final leg April 23-28. At stake in the next two elims are 38 Olympic slots.