The Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines has sent two teams to separate Asian tournaments where the boxers clinched four golds in the last fortnight in preparation for the 30th SEA Games to be held in the country at the end of the year.
Former world champion and multiple SEA Games gold medalist Josie Gabuco bannered the Philippine campaign in the prestigious Indian Open in Guahati, India.
The 32-year-old Palawan native snatched the gold in the women’s light flyweight category while another gold was won by middleweight Eumir Felix Marcial.
Light flyweight Carlo Paalam could only salvage a bronze as he suffered an ugly gash above his right eyebrow in his quarterfinal win and was not allowed to suit up for his semifinal match the following day.
The team is still in India for a two-week training camp.
Meanwhile, in Shanghai, China, the Belt & Road Tournament saw upcoming light flyweight Ramel Macado score a scintillating 5-0 win in the finals Saturday while welterweight Joel Bacho also gained a gold as his Kazakh opponent was unable to suit up because of injury.
Marvin Tabamo settled for silver while Jeorge Edusma, Junmilardo Ogayre and Sugar Ray Ocaña came ABAP president Ricky Vargas, who also heads the Philippine Olympic Committee, expressed appreciation to the Philippine Sports Commission for their full support for the boxers’ preparation for the SEA Games.
“The PSC has been very helpful to all SEA Games-bound NSAs as we ramp up our efforts. And we have been getting encouraging news from various disciplines. This is a very positive development in our goal for a successful staging of the Games. I thank Chairman Butch Ramirez, the commissioners and the entire PSC,” Vargas added.
