THE PHILIPPINES’ gallant team of four boxers, who survived the cold temperatures that dipped to as low as 3% centigrade, but turned on the heat in their quarterfinal bouts of the Asian-Oceanian Olympic Qualifying event at the state-of-the-art Tangshan Sports Centre in China, stood just one win away from clinching a spot in the Rio Olympic Games when they face stiff opposition in the semifinals on Thursday.
ABAP Executive Director Ed Picson told The Standard that the fighters were in their respective rooms, “resting, because they needed it.”
“The mood is upbeat,” said Picson after they had lunch together.
The only worry was that welterweight hopeful Eumir Felix Marcial has a swollen knuckle in his left hand, which is his primary weapon, although Picson believes it’s an old injury they are trying to handle with an icepack and Epsom salts.
However, Marcial told them “don’t worry about it because when I’m fighting, I don’t feel the pain.”
The welterweight punching machine ranked no. 1 in the tournament had no problem disposing of Kazemzadehposhtiri from Iran in the quarterfinals, with all three judges having the tough and solidly built Filipino from Zamboanga winning handily, 30-27 (twice) and 29-28.
Marcial goes up against 22-year-old Shakram Giyasov of Uzbekistan in the semis.
Leading the Filipinos’ charge in the quarterfinals was team captain Charly Suarez, the veteran 27-year-old, who decisively beat India’s tall, lanky and awkward military champion Dheeraj Rai by scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28 once.
Suarez, who is a skillful boxer with hand-speed and punching power, will face China’s Shan Jun in the semifinal round Thursday.
ABAP Executive director Ed Picson told The Standard that Suarez is aware that the 21-year-old Shan Jun “has the hometown crowd, but I have a fight plan that I think will turn things around for me.”
Picson said in his assessment is that Suarez’s opponent “is not very good,” but being a hometown boy it could make a difference. Although he hopes it won’t.
No. 1 seed Rogen Ladon displayed speed and accuracy to thwart Iraq’s Al-Kaabi in another unanimous decision win, 30-25, in all the judges’ cards, with the Iraqi deducted 2 points for ducking. Ladon’s semifinal foe will be 24-year-old shifty Devendro Singh Laisham of India.
Mario Fernandez, likewise, barged into the semifinals with a 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28 decision over Alwadi of Jordan, but is likely to have a tough time against highly regarded Chatchai Butdee of Thailand.
“The Thai guy is very good,” Fernandez said.
Ranked No. 7 Butdee won the bantamweight gold medal in Laos in 2009 and the SEA Games gold in Palembeng, Indonesia in 2011.
In the 2012 London Olympics, Butdee won his first fight against Selcuk Ebker of Turkey before losing in the second round to eventual gold medalist Robeisy Ramorez of Cuba.
ABAP president Ricky Vargas who has been closely monitoring the events from the United States via text and email told Picson: “Please tell our boxers I am encouraged by their performance. I continue to pray hard for their success. I will have a nice surprise for those who qualify when I see them back in the Philippines.”
Being in the semifinals, Ladon, Fernandez, Suarez and Marcial are all assured of a bronze medals each.
However, Picson told The Standard: “A bronze medal is fine. But our boxers pledge to go hard to get that slot for Rio. There are no two ways about it.”
