The Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines yesterday pledged to deliver the country its first-ever Olympic gold medal when the Summer Games are held in Beijing, China next year.

Manny Lopez, the ABAP president, made the bold prediction at the PSA Forum in Manila yesterday when he also stressed that Negrense pug Joan Tipon, a gold medalist in the Asian Games last year, is not seeded outright to the national squad.

"They (Tipon and Asian Games gold medalist Violito Payla) have to earn their spots. That's why they need to be in great condition always," Lopez said. Tipon told the DAILY STAR that he is accepting Lopez's challenge, saying he will do everything possible to win an Olympic gold medal that has eluded his fellow Negrense boxers Roel and Onyok Velasco and Leopoldo Serrantes in the past.

Onyok settled for the silver in the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, four years after Roel won the bronze in Barcelona. Serrantes, of Candoni town, also bagged a bronze in the 1988 Games in Seoul. In fact, Tipon, who took the bantamweight gold in the 2005 SEA Games in Bacolod, said he had started training in Baguio City late last month but had to slow down and return to Manila last week because he got sick.

But the Bacolod-born boxer, who overcame tough Thai Woorapoj Petchkoom on his way to the bantamweight gold in the Asiad, will resume training Thursday.

Tipon's next tournament is the Amert Comert Cup in Istanbul, Turkey from May 8-11.

"With or without favor to be given to us, we will win our first Olympic gold medal in Beijing. I'm predicting that and I think this will be a big challenge to us at ABAP and our Filipino boxers," Lopez said.

Lopez said the success of Tipon and Payla and the rest of the RP boxing team in Doha, Qatar last year made him feel good about the Filipinos' chances of finally winning that elusive Olympic gold.

"The Asian Games has always been our gauge. When we won three gold medals in Hiroshima, Onyok Velasco almost bagged the gold two years after in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Now, following our good showing in Doha last year, we also feel the same way going to Beijing," Lopez, who is executive secretary of the International Amateur Boxing Association, said.

ABAP is eyeing an eight-man squad for the Beijing Games, or double than the four-man team (Payla, Harry Tanamor, Chris Camat and Romeo Brin) that saw action in the Athens Olympics three years ago.

The Filipinos begin their bid for Olympic slots this September when the first of the three qualifying tournaments is held in Moscow, Russia.

Lopez added ABAP will conduct a series of tryouts to determine the composition of the RP team set to see action in a total of 13 overseas tournaments for this year.

For their training and preparation for this year alone, the ABAP president estimated the association needs around P14 million.

He expects the budget to increase by at least P2-3 million by 2008 when the countdown to the Beijing Games begins.

Philippine Sports Commission chairman William `Butch' Ramirez had earlier said giant conglomerate San Miguel Beer had expressed intention of shouldering the entire boxing team's expenses leading to the Olympics.

But, as of yesterday, Lopez said nothing concrete had yet been discussed. ABAP also bared plans of tapping a Cuban coach, whom it expects to be in the country in June or July. *CPT

back to top

ABAP vows to deliver first RP Olympic gold
ETCS, Talisay clouters win; City High falls short
Local pug Pabila shines in Azerbaijan
Xanga edges Round 1 bets