Pinoy boxing fans sympathized with Eumir Marcial’s emotional interview after bowing to Turabek Khabibullaev of Uzbekistan in the round of 16 of the men’s 80 kilogram bout of the 2024 Olympics. And then Hergie Bacyadan not getting that luck of the draw ing the heaviest division in women’s boxing. Carlos Paalam’s upset in the quarterfinals of his division would make some fans wonder why it is always the same story in boxing.
The Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) is aware that competing in the Olympic boxing qualifying tournament is different from fighting in the Olympic ring, where their opponents are hardened after their experience in the International Boxing Association (IBA) World Boxing Championships. It would validate the suspicion of many Pinoy sports fans that the Philippines won’t win an Olympic gold medal UNLESS the government and private sector are willing to invest more in the Pinoy boxers. And it would start with the World Boxing Championships.
Luck of the draw is always a factor in boxing, and it can turn a boxer into a prohibitive favorite in the Summer Olympics. Filipino boxers have a fighting chance against the best of the rest of the world, but they should participate in the IBA World Boxing Championships. A good performance would guarantee a seed in the Olympics, which should increase their chances of advancing to the medal round. It has never been truer than the fate of some Pinoy boxers in the 2024 Olympics.
Hergie Bacyadan bowed to Li Qian in the women's 71 kilogram division, the heaviest in women's boxing. Bacyadan, who hails from Quezon City, has had success in the worlds the past years, but she competed in the lighter division. She had the shortest time to adjust to a heavier division. Furthermore, Li Qian is one of the strongest contenders in the 71 kilogram division these last few years.
Bacyadan can train and wait for the 2028 Olympics, and her age might favor her. (Bacyadan will be 33 years of age by that time.) On the other hand, Eumir Marcial suffered a heartbreaking loss in the round of 16. The Zamboangeno revealed that he was struggling with injury, and the loss left him wondering if he should wait for another four years.
Marcial's predicament may be different from Nesthy Petecio's, who is looking forward to life beyond boxing, or Carlos Paalam's, who is likely to call it a career after the Paris Olympics, but it should be wake up call to the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP).
ABAP must set politics aside. Since its inception in 1974, Filipino boxers have managed to win a medal in the IBA World Boxing Championships on six occasions. A very dismal figure, as the words are held every year or two. Russia’s Umar Kremlev is the current president of IBA, and he's the reason behind the US calling out other countries to boycott the 2023 IBA World Boxing Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Such a move hurt the chances of Pinoy boxers in the Olympics. How much politicking can our boxers endure?
Nesthy Petecio and Aria Villegas are the only boxers that would go home with an Olympic medal, and it’s not good news at all.
Give rewards and promotions to IBA World Championship medalists. Government and private sectors must look at the IBA World Boxing Championships in a different light. It's the first step to Olympic glory, so it shouldn't be treated as less prestigious than the Summer Olympics. The Olympic Qualifying Tournament mustn’t be the first step, as such a move would put a lot of pressure on the Pinoy boxers. Not that they aren’t used to it, but they must have the advantage of going to the Olympics.
Hire foreign coach, preferably someone from the former Soviet republic. ABAP may not be keen to hire another Cuban coach, but they can look at the former Soviet republics. Boxers from this region have been dominant in amateur boxing, so ABAP must rethink their long-term plan.
Support system. Boxing may not have a luxury of having a support system, a thing that gymnastics have. It played a part in Carlos Yulo winning two Olympic gold medals. (We’ll discuss it later.) If the other boxing federations can’t help us, then it would be up to us. And it shouldn’t be encouraging comments on social media.
Carlos Paalam's recent experience should serve as a lesson for up-and-coming Pinoy boxers. Carlos Paalam could’ve capitalized on his success in the Tokyo Olympics, but ABAP didn’t seem to do anything about it. We like to give them the benefit of the doubt, as Paalam might not be fit to compete in the IBA World Boxing Championships. (The native of Cagayan de Oro had personal issues.) Mental health must be a priority.
Give veterans one more chance if they really want to. A veteran boxer sympathized with Marcial after his loss, advising him to concentrate on his professional career. It seems well and good, but Marcial can’t leave his amateur career without regretting not giving it another try. Perhaps ABAP should talk to Marcial about his plans during the next Olympic cycle. If he’s still hungry, then they must support him. The same thing goes to Bacyadan.
Will Nesthy Petecio win an Olympic gold medal? The native of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur has a good chance of winning her semifinal bout against Julia Atena Szeremeta. Many spectators described the young Polish boxer as a showboat, and Petecio’s experience and patience should help her. The gold-medal match would be different, though. Lin Yu-ting will be her likely opponent, and boxing analysts, and bettors, are predicting the Taiwanese as the winner. Lin Yu-ting was disqualified in the 2023 IBA Women's World Boxing Championships for failing a gender eligibility test. IBA was rather not revealed to the public, but the International Olympic Committee (OIC) looked the other way. Yu-ting got the green light to compete in Paris.
The Olympic gold medal would be Petecio’s ultimate goal before calling it a career, but she would need more than her experience and patience to win her bout against Lin Yu-ting. Taiwan’s top boxer upset Petecio in the 2022 Asian Games. We pick Petecio IF she can outwit her Taiwanese foe.
What do you think?
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