LAST TWO OLYMPIC HOPEFULS READY TO BATTLE FOR SLOTS IN RIO
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 15 Jun 2016
Marcial.
The Philippines' last two Olympic hopefuls, welterweight Eumir Felix Marcial and flyweight Ian Clark Bautista are ready to battle for the remaining slots in the AIBA Olympic qualifying tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan from June 16-25.
In an overseas telephone conversation wit The Standard, executive director Ed Picson said both Marcial and Bautista were "physically and mentally ready" and were determined to join earlier qualifiers light flyweight Rogen Ladon and lightweight Charly Suarez who earned a Rio berth by winning silver medals in the last qualifying tournament in China.
While Marcial and Bautista will wage war in the ring, Ladon and Suarez will step up their training in the United States when they leave next week.
They are expected to enlist the services of "Dodong" Donaire, trainer/father of five division world champion Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire who serves as a consultant to ABAP.
Picson told us five fighters in each weight division will qualify for Rio but a lot will "depend on the luck of the draw and the first two fights will be crucial."
He also said "we need to have some luck in the judging too."
Picson indicated Marcial and Bautista had their weights checked and may fight on the opening day although he expects only a few bouts to be staged.
Baku was ready to welcome 469 boxers from 105 nations for World Olympic Qualification Event for the the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Boxing Tournament in the state-of-the-art Rio Centro Pavilion 6 venue in Rio?s Barra da Tijuca neighbourhood now just weeks away, the AIBA Open Boxing Qualification Event has drawn a huge pool of talent to the Azeri capital. The competition sees 39 olympic quota places available, and is the first time that an open qualification event has followed the Continental Qualifiers.
AIBA reported "The race for the 250 places in the 2016 Olympic Men?s Boxing competition is reaching its final stages, and the incredible number of athletes that have registered for Baku once again shows that reaching an Olympic Games is the ultimate goal for any boxer. Having brilliantly hosted the
2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships.
AIBA president Dr. Wu Ching-Kuo said "Baku is perfectly suited to stage another first-class boxing event, and I want to wish the best of luck to all the competitors in their efforts to fulfil their dreams.?
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