CHARLY SUAREZ FACES TOUGH EUROPEAN CHAMPION JOE CORDINA
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 05 Aug 2016
Veteran Philippine hopeful Charly Suarez faces a tough battle in his opening bout against European lightweight champion Joe Cordina of Wales, a 24 year old, 5?10? banger on Sunday morning, Manila Time.
The arena will be the newly built Pavilion of the Riocentro exhibition and convention center in the Barra da Tijuca region of Rio de Janeiro with a capacity of 9,000.
ABAP executive director Ed Picson informed the president of ABAP, the National Sports Association Ricky Vargas that ?our boy is tough and is also well-prepared and trained. With prayers and a little luck I think he?ll be fine.?
Cordina won gold at the European Championships in Bulgaria. The lightweight who won the bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games last year beat Georgia?s Otar Eranosyan on points.
BBC Sport reported that Cordina had to battle against a tenacious opponent in Eranyosan who was constantly looking to box at close quarters but Cordina was able to counter the Georgian?s advances rto win gold on a unanimous decision.
In a post-fight interview Cordina told BBC Sport ?I think I deserved the win. He wasn?t landing clean shots on me. The last three months I?ve been working my backside off and now I?m reaping the rewards with this gold medal.?
Cordina who is from Wales was Britain?s only gold medalist in Bulgaria. He followed up his Commonwealth Games bronze medal in Glasgow last year by beating Eranosyan 3-0 in the finals.
Among his five victims on his way to gold in Bulgaria was former world champion number one seed Domenico Valentino, beaten by technical knockout in round one.
The final against Georgian Otan Eranosyan was a tougher test but he came through it.
"The first two rounds were very tough, but I thought I started to bring it back," added the Cardiff boxer, who trains under Tony Borg at the St Joseph's gym in Newport.
"The third round I thought I got the better of him because I felt he wasn't landing clean shots on me. I thought I was landing the cleaner shots.
"I'm glad I got the win and I thought I fully deserved it."
The Welshman had already qualified for the world championships in Doha, Qatar in October last year and hoped to secure his Olympic qualifying slot by finishing in the top three at the global event.
Cordina is also trained by Tony Borg out of the St. Joseph?s ABC Gym in Newport.
Pro boxing promoter Eddie Hearn was reportedly an impressed observer, afterwards tweeting ?Well done Joe Cordina. Watched him at York Hall a few years ago, was a stand out. Believe the kid has a big future.?
The 27 year old Suarez from Panabo City punched his way to Rio when he stopped China?s Shan Jun after the 2nd round to enter the finals of the Asian-Oceanic Olympic qualifiers at the Tangshan Sports Center in Qian?An, China last March 31 and has trained diligently since then at the ABAP training center in Baguio and also during a training stint in the United States working with ABAP consultant ?Dodong? Donaire, trainer/father of five division world champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire in Las Vegas at the Top Rank Gym.
Suarez lost in the gold medal bout to rugged Mongolian Otgondalai Dorjnyambuu in a rematch of their 2014 Asian Games finals when the Mongolian won by a split decision.
ABAP executive director Ed Picson told the Manila Standard that Suarez and light flyweight Rogen Ladon were ?looking very sharp? and that they were ?in competitive form? and he was happy with what he saw.
Picson reported that Ladon who is seeded No. 5 drew a bye and will fight on either Monday or Tuesday against the winner of the clash between 23 year old, 5?5? Patrick Lourenco of Brazil who was in the quarter finals of the 2013 World Championships and Yurberjen Herney Martinez, the 24 year old Colombian boxer.
Meantime, the British newspaper The Guardian revealed that ?Senior figures within amateur boxing have warned many bouts, including those to decide medals, could be fixed at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro amid widespread concern about corruption and financial malpractice at the sport?s global governing body.?
Horrified senior officials within the sport believe a cabal of officials are able to use their power to manipulate the draw and the judging system to ensure certain boxers will win.
One senior figure said there was ?no doubt? some of the judges and referees in Rio ?will be corrupted?. He alleged a group of referees get together before major championships to decide how to score certain bouts.
Photo: Rogen Ladon (L) and Charly Suarez (R) at the Olympic Village in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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