Filipino boxers, among them Bacoleño Joan Tipon, will slug it out with other topnotch pugs as the Olympic boxing qualifiers started in Bangkok , Thailand .

The 25-year-old Tipon, who drew an opening-round bye, takes on tough Jordanian Ebraheem Algharageer in the bantamweight division. Algharageer downed Doniyorov Tulashboy of Uzbekistan yesterday.

Tipon won an Asian Games gold in Doha , Qatar in 2006 but has been on a slump lately.

He lost to Thai rival Woorapoj Petchkoom in the world championship in Chicago late last year.

Tipon hit rock-bottom when he lost by knockout in dual meet in California .

Tipon could face Petchkoom again in the qualifiers.

The Thai has yet to qualify for the Beijing games.

Only the top two players from each division will clinch spots to the games.

Another boxer who hails from Bacolod, Orlando Tacuyan Jr. will also start his campaign today against Galivjafarov of Kazakhstan in the featherweight division.*CPT

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Tipon faces Jordanian boxer today
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