It seems like Joan Tipon is getting better by the day.

Flashing the form that installed him as one of Asia's best, Tipon moved within a victory of his Olympic dream after battering Pakistan 's Mukamamad Ali yesterday in the first AIBA Asian boxing Olympic qualifiers in Bangkok , Thailand .

Tipon will have his hands full in the next round, where he will meet Worapoj Petchkoom of Thailand . Tipon would need to win by knockout or in convincing fashion to prevent a possible hometown decision.

The winner of the Friday duel goes thru to the Beijing Games in August. Tipon is the remaining RP hope, after teammates Violito Payla, Orlando Tacuyan Jr., Adam Fiel, and Genebert Basadre fell in their opening matches.

It will be the third time in 13 months that Tipon will meet Petchkoom, whom he defeated in the Asian Games bantamweight semis, but the Thai bounced back in the world championship in October.

“That was a well deserved win. The fact that he almost blanked his rival is evident that he came prepared to the Olympic qualifying to redeem himself after a series of setbacks,” commissioner Eric Loretizo of the Philippine Sports Commission said.

The day before, Tipon lifted the spirit of the Philippine contingent in Thailand by subduing Jordanian Ebraheem Algharageer.

RP coach Pat Gaspi commended the Bacoleño fighter for executing well the planned strategy against the Algharageer. The judges scored the match 13-2 in favor of Tipon.

On the other hand, Games and Amusement Board commissioner Monju Guanzon said he is not expecting much from Tipon's fight against Petchkoom on Friday as the territorial advantage of the Thai can work against Tipon.

Right from the start, Guanzon said Tipon was the only best bet of the RP boxing team that went to Thailand for the Olympic qualifying, Guanzon said.

For the RP team to make an impressive record in international boxing tournaments, the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines needs to shape up, he added.*CPT

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