Phl pugs begin journey to Rio

MANILA, Philippines - Charly Suarez, toughened up by his stints overseas the past couple of years, leads a crack five-man Philippine team to the ASBC Asian Boxing Championships in Bangkok next week.

The Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines has released the lineup of the Philippine squad to the event, which serves as qualifier for the AIBA World Championships in Doha, Qatar in October.

Slots in the 2016 Rio Olympics will be at stake in Doha, and to get there, the Filipino boxers must hurdle the test in the Thai capital Aug. 26-Sept. 5.

Also io the lineup, according to ABAP executive director Ed Picson, are Rogen Ladon (49 kg), Ian Clark Bautista (52 kg), Mario Fernandez (56 kg) and Eumir Felix Marcial (69 kg).

Bautista, Fernandez and Marcial won gold medals for the Philippines in this year’s SEA Games in Singapore. Fernandez is a back-to-back champion in the SEA Games.

All five boxers are seeking their first crack in the Olympics, including the 27-year-old Suarez, a silver medalist in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.

The ABAP, headed by Ricky Vargas, wants to qualify as many boxers to next year’s Olympics, and has sought the support of the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee in its bid.

Suarez, who started boxing at the age of 12, will vie in the 60 kg class, carrying with him his experience competing in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) and the AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) tournament.

Coaching the team that leaves for Bangkok tomorrow are Pat Gaspi, Boy Velasco and 1994 Asian Games gold medalist and 1996 Olympics veteran Reynaldo Galido.

“This is the first step to Rio,” said Picson, confident that all five boxers ABAP is sending to Bangkok have what it takes to make it to the World Championships later this year.

Picson said the boxers are upbeat despite the recent bombing incident in the Thai capital, adding that the latest word from organizers is that “the rest of Bangkok is okay.”

Picson said depending on the size of the field, a handful of boxers in each division in Bangkok will make it to Doha. Then it gets tougher as only the top three in each weight class will make it to Rio.

“It is essential that we excel in the Asian Championships before you qualify to the World Championships. In the past, the World Championhips is open to everyone,” said Picson.

“Now, the World Championships is only for those who qualify,” he said.