Boxers swing into action
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 05 Sep 2025
The Philippine team was reduced to six fighters with Ofelia Magno scratched from the women’s 48kg lineup due to lack of time to confirm results of her sex test as the World Boxing Championships got underway in Liverpool yesterday. Carlo Paalam opened the Philippine campaign against Chinese-Taipei’s Hsu Chao-Chun in the 55kg division last night (Manila time) while Junmilardo Ogayre was set to take on Chinese-Taipei’s Lai Chu-En in the 60kg class early this morning (Manila time).
Ronald Chavez, Jr. and Riza Pasuit are next in line to see action tomorrow. Chavez battles Ireland’s Matthew McCole in the 70kg class where 41 fighters are entered. Pasuit faces Saudi Arabia’s Ragad Alnaimi in the women’s 60kg division with 29 contenders. Mark Ashley Fajardo battles Ukraine’s Elvin Aliev in the 65kg category on Sunday. Jay Bryan Baricuatro, who drew a bye, meets the winner of the first round match between Bulgaria’s Ergyunal Sebahtin and Spain’s Martin Molina Salvador in a 60kg bout on Tuesday.
ABAP secretary-general Marcus Manalo said Magno was among several women boxers who were pulled out because their generic sex test results to detect the SRY gene were not released in time for Wednesday’s draw. “We had to get her test done in Liverpool upon arrival because no test is available in the Philippines,” said Manalo. “Organizers arranged for it. World Boxing has to be strict with the policy because the controversial Algerian boxer Imane Khelif appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport regarding sex testing.”
Manalo said withdrawing Magno was a lost opportunity. “Obviously, we’re upset and people were upset about the boxers pulled out,” he said. “But good thing is there are lots of sparring partners in Liverpool so Magno will continue to get better during the competition.”
Baricuatro and Fajardo are the youngest in the team as they’re both 20. Baricuatro’s biggest feat was bagging the silver at the World Boxing Cup in Kazakhstan this year. Fajardo brought home bronzes from the Thailand Open and Asian U22 Championships in Bangkok, also this year. Ogayre, 26, took the bronze at the Asian Elite Championships in Dubai in 2021. Chavez, 26, claimed the bronze at the 2018 President’s Cup. His father Ronald, Sr., is with the ABAP coaching staff. Their combination is the first father-and-son pairing since Cely and Anthony Villanueva at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Pasuit, 32, has won silver and bronze in two SEA Games. Paalam, 27, is the most bemedalled in the delegation with two SEA Games golds, Asian Championships gold, Tokyo Olympic silver and Asian Games bronze.
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