Filipino boxer Carlo Paalam in action against Aldoms Suguro of Indonesia during the 54kg final match of the 2023 Southeast Asian Games held at Chroy Changvar Convention Center in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on May 14, 2023. POC handout
MANILA -- Filipino boxers are bracing for a tricky challenge in the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, where they will compete in weight classes heavier than what they have gotten used to.
A handful of weight divisions have not been included in the program in Hangzhou, forcing Olympic medalists Carlo Paalam and Eumir Marcial as well as John Marvin to go up in weight.
"Naninibago lang kami sa weight class namin, kasi lahat kami umakyat sa weight division namin," admitted Marcial at the sidelines of the send-off for Asian Games-bound athletes at the PICC on Monday.
Paalam won bronze in the 49kg division in the 2018 Asiad in Jakarta, and was a silver medalist in the 52kg class in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. In Hangzhou, he will be competing in the 57kg division. Marcial has long campaigned at middleweight (75kg), where he won bronze in Jakarta and in Tokyo. Now, he will compete in the 80kg class.
Marvin was a gold medalist in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in the 81kg class. In Hangzhou, he will move to the 92kg division.
"Sobrang excited din po ako kasi umakyat ako ng weight class eh. So dati akong 54 ta's nag-57. Adjustment naman po ang gawin ko sa taas ng ring," said Paalam, for his part.
The national boxers trained in camps in India and Australia in the past month to prepare for the Asian Games, and they expressed their readiness for the competitions despite their concerns over the shift in weight classes.
The Philippines' Eumir Marcial celebrates after beating Isiah Hart in their middleweight bout at The Theater at Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas, NV on April 9, 2022. Ryan Hafey, Premier Boxing Champions.
Marcial, in particular, gave assurance that he is in good condition after joining the national team in their Australia camp from the United States.
"Sa kundisyon wala namang problema kasi last month pa lang, nasa US na ako. Doon na ako nag-prepare for Asian Games, and then nag-join ako sa Philippine boxing team one month before 'yung tournament ngayon," said Marcial, who put his professional career on hold to compete for the Philippines in the Asiad.
"So ayun, nakuha ko na 'yung experience ko talaga na mga sparring partners ko doon sa US, and then after noon nag-straight ako sa Australia. So walang problema po 'yung training camp," he added.
The Asian Games is doubly crucial for the Filipino boxers, as it also serves as a qualifier for next year's Olympic Games in Paris. Only the two finalists in each division will earn tickets to the Summer Games.
"Mabigat na competition sa amin kasi Olympic qualifying sa amin itong Asian Games. So kailangan talaga namin manalo. Gawin lang namin 'yung best namin na wala kaming pagsisihan sa huli," said Paalam.
"This is what we've all been working toward. The pinnacle of amateur boxing, I believe, is the Olympics, and to have the opportunity to go to the Asian Games, and go to this Olympic qualifier, it's a dream come true for all of the boxers -- even people who've already been to the Olympics," added Marvin, a silver medalist in the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia.
"I'm sure they'd like to achieve that again, it's a dream come true. God willing, we'll get there."
Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino, the president of the Philippine Olympic Committee, pointed to the national boxing team as a potential source of gold medals in the Asian Games.
"I've got high hopes for everyone, including myself," Marvin said of the expectations for the team. "We've had a good training camp. We've been everywhere, really, preparing for this."
Aside from Marcial, Paalam and Marvin, also set to compete for the Philippines in boxing are Aaron Jude Bado (men's 51kg), Mark Fajardo (men's 63.5kg), Marjon Pianar (men's 71kg), Aira Villegas (women's 50kg), Irish Magno (women's 54kg) and Nesthy Petecio (women's 57kg).
The Asian Games open on September 23.
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