Four national boxers finished with bronze medals in the ASBC Asian Elite Championships in Dubai, UAE.
Friday evening, newcomers light flyweight Mark Lester Durens and bantamweight Junmilardo Ogayre both bowed to top-ranked boxers in their respective weight categories.
Middleweight Eumir Felix Marcial suffered a 5-0 shut out at the hands of Saidjamshid Jafarov (UZB).
Thursday, defending champion Josie Gabuco also fell victim to another Uzbek, young sensation Gulasal Sultonalieva 4-1.
ABAP secretary-general Ed Picson said “ considering that this was our boxers’ first competitive exercise in over a year, the results were not particularly worrisome. We had mostly new guys in the line up because our top-tier boxers are in Thailand, so 4 bronze in an Asian championship is nothing to be ashamed of.”
Association president Ricky Vargas issued a statement to address a deluge of inquiries and requests for comment on the loss of celebrated Olympic qualifier middleweight Eumir Felix Marcial.
Vargas’ statement:
“Allow me to first congratulate all our boxers in the tournament, you gave it your all, and we are proud of all of you.
“We are of course saddened by the loss of Eumir Marcial, but that’s boxing. Adjustments will have to be made and there is some time left. That said, I think this should be a wake up call for all concerned, not just to Marcial.
“We all need to be united behind our four boxers in their quest for Olympic glory. Aside from Marcial, we believe Irish Magno, Nesthy Petecio, and Carlo Paalam have equal chances to perform well in Tokyo.
“Our coaching staff, under coach Donald Abnett, has drawn up a comprehensive 10-week program for the final push to the Olympics, attuned to the environment and platform in which the event will be staged.
“We are happy that Marcial participated in this tournament under the aegis of ABAP and has committed to train under our coaches’ mentorship in this crucial period. This will address the kind of challenge he will face in Tokyo.
“We have arranged for Marcial to participate in a multi-nation training camp in Colorado Springs, the home of Olympic boxing in the USA. This is the milieu that he needs to be training under.
“USA Boxing is also graciously assisting us in getting visas for our three other Olympians and our coaches to the Colorado Springs camp.
“After all is said and done, the journey to the Olympics should be a national effort. ABAP, as the national sports association for the sport, stands ready to support, nurture and guide our athletes in pursuing the dream, as we did in their long and arduous effort to qualify.
“We enjoin everyone concerned to rally behind this unified effort to get them to the Tokyo Olympic podium.
“There is no other way.”