Manila to host Asian boxing tilt?
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 13 Aug 2022
Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) president Pichai Chunhavajira of Thailand has asked Manila to host the ASBC Elite Championships for Men and Women on Oct. 21-Nov. 2 and ABAP president Ed Picson is now putting the figures together for a budget to determine the viability of staging the event.
“I got a call from Mr. Pichai requesting if we could host the elite championships,” said Picson. “This will cost quite a sum. I’ll submit a budget to our chairman Mr. (Ricky) Vargas and we’ll see if it’s doable. Under normal pre-COVID conditions, the tournament would bring in 300 to 350 boxers. But maybe this year, we’ll draw 250 to 300 from 25 to 35 countries. There will be 25 weight divisions for both men and women.”
Weight divisions vary depending on the competition. At the last SEA Games, men fought in seven divisions and women in four. At the Tokyo Olympics, there were eight men’s divisions and five for women. At the previous ASBC championships in Dubai in 2021, there were 10 weight divisions each for men and women.
This year, there will be 13 weight classes for men and 12 for women. The divisions for men are minimumweight (48 kg), flyweight (51 kg), bantamweight (54 kg), featherweight (57 kg), lightweight (60 kg), lightwelterweight (63.5 kg), welterweight (67 kg), lightmiddleweight (71 kg), middleweight (75 kg), lightheavyweight (80 kg), cruiserweight (86 kg), heavyweight (92 kg) and superheavyweight (+92 kg). The divisions for women are minimumweight (48 kg), lightflyweight (50 kg), flyweight (52 kg), bantamweight (54 kg), featherweight (57 kg), lightweight (60 kg), lightwelterweight (63 kg), welterweight (66 kg), lightmiddleweight (70 kg), middleweight (75 kg), lightheavyweight (81 kg) and heavyweight (+81 kg).
If the plan for Manila to host the event pushes through, it will be held at the PICC. ABAP has the capability to stage the competition and it will be a feather in the country’s cap to host a tournament of this magnitude, considering the scope is the entire Asia. In the 2021 edition, 11 countries collected medals and only four----Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia and India---bagged gold. The Philippines brought home four bronze medals from lightflyweight Mark Lester Durens, bantamweight Junmilardo Ogayre and middleweight Eumir Marcial in men and lightflyweight Josie Gabuco in women.
Picson said some 12 boxers from the national pool are now in Cagayan de Oro with coach Don Abnett. The team includes Olympic silver medalist Nesthy Petecio, Aira Villegas, Hergie Bacyadan and 2016 Olympian Rogen Ladon. An Australian boxing team of about 20 youth and juniors recently trained with the ABAP squad in the Misamis Oriental city. Petecio said she moved up from featherweight in the Olympics to lightweight in the SEA Games after enjoying her silver medal benefits but will trim down to featherweight in pursuing the gold at the 2024 Paris Games. “Walang hinto hanggang ginto,” said Petecio.
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