Only the best for Paris

MANILA, Philippines — Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) secretary-general Ed Picson said yesterday the team to represent the country in the World Olympic Qualifiers (WOQ) in Paris will be made up of the cream of the crop, the best fighters with the highest probability of making it to the Tokyo Games. Those with just a slim chance of qualifying will stay home.

The problem is because of the pandemic, there is still no confirmed schedule for the WOQ. The Olympics were reset to July 25-Aug. 9 next year and boxing will be held at the Ryogoku Kokugikan, an indoor sumo arena with a capacity of 11,098. But there is talk that even the Olympics’ fate is in the balance. If the Games won’t push through next year, the IOC may be inclined to cancel this edition and prepare for the next in Paris in 2024.

In Tokyo, boxing will be split into 13 weight divisions, eight for men and five for women. So far, 79 slots of 186 available for men have been claimed while 33 of 100 tickets for women have been taken. That means 67 percent of the slots have been allocated and only 33 percent remains up for grabs. The qualified boxers come from 43 countries, including the Philippines which has advanced middleweight (75 kg) Eumir Marcial in the men’s division and flyweight (51 kg) Irish Magno in the women’s division. The countries with the most qualifiers for men and women are India and Kazakhstan with nine each. Those with seven qualifiers are Algeria and Uzbekistan. China and Morocco have six apiece.

In the men’s flyweight division, there are 28 slots with only 10 left unclaimed, five from the Americas, four from the WOQ and one wildcard as designated by the Tripartite Invitation Commission. The Philippines’ best bet in the 52-kilogram class is Carlo Paalam who fell a win short of bagging an Olympic slot at the Asia/Oceania qualifiers in Amman last March. Paalam lost to Kazakhstan’s Saken Bibossinov, 4-1, in the boxoff for a ticket to Tokyo.

In the men’s featherweight division, the top five in the WOQ will advance and a wildcard slot will also be given. Ian Clark Bautista is the leading Filipino candidate in this category although he lost in the round-of-16 to Thailand’s Chatchai Butdee via a 5-0 decision in Amman. The same Butdee defeated Bautista, 3-2, in the semifinals at the Southeast Asian Games last December. Butdee, 35, has qualified for his third Olympics in Tokyo.  

Three-time SEA Games gold medalist Charly Suarez would be a hot bet for a featherweight slot if he can bring down his weight. The Olympic featherweight limit is 125.7 pounds or 57 kilograms. Suarez has fought as a pro in the range of 129 1/4 to 132 pounds. In the SEA Games last December, Suarez took the gold medal in the lightweight division where the weight limit was 60 kilograms or 132.3 pounds. In the Olympics, the lightweight limit is 63 kilograms or 138.9 pounds. If Suarez is able to trim down to 57 kilograms, he would be a cinch for another Olympic stint after a forgettable performance in Rio. Suarez skipped the WOQ.

In the women’s division, AIBA world featherweight champion Nesthy Petecio is hoping to make it to Tokyo through the WOQ. She missed out in Amman but remains a favorite to qualify.  The top four finishers in the WOQ will advance and a wildcard ticket is also available in the women’s featherweight class.  

Picson said among the ABAP elite boxers, only Petecio and Magno are in Baguio with the others back at home. “Everyone is being monitored and they’ve all been given training programs,” he said. “Last Saturday, I did a video call with some boxers and coaches. We’re looking to send boxers to the WOQ only with a good chance of making it to the Olympics. We can work on their chances of winning a medal after qualification.”

Picson said Petecio is training with coach Rey Galido in Baguio. They stay in dorms near each other. Magno trains on her own. Coaches Elias Recaido and Mitchel Martinez are staying at the Cooyeesan Hotel in Baguio with ABAP junior boxers. “The Cooyeesan gym is closed so they train in the corridors,” he said. “No gyms are open in Baguio so they train wherever they can. There’s still no word from the IOC boxing task force regarding the WOQ or even the American or European qualifiers.”