ALMATY, Kazakhstan, (PNA) — Amidst the chilly fall weather that ranges between 2 and 10 degrees centigrade in this former Kazakh capital, 457 boxers from 100 countries qualified after the official weigh-in Sunday at the AIBA World Boxing Championships here.
The PLDT-ABAP national boxing team, also supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, is a “lean but mean” four-man squad led by London Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga of Panabo, Davao del Norte in the 49 kg light-flyweight division.
Barriga fights on Wednesday against 2011 SEA Games silver medalist Ngoc Huynh of Vietnam.
General Santos City’s Roldan Boncales, 20 years old, in the flyweight division (52 kg), sees action on Opening Day, Monday. He faces Beijing Olympics veteran, 30 year old Eddie Barillas of Guatemala.
On Tuesday Dennis Galvan of Bago City, who won the SEA Games gold medal in 2011 in Palembang, Indonesia, takes on Azerbaijan’s London Olympics bet Gaybatulla Godzhialiyev, 23, in their 64 kg light-welterweight match.The Azeri boxer has been fighting internationally since 2007.
Last to see action is Valencia, Bukidnon’s Mario Fernandez (56 kg, bantam) who faces Imran Khan, the national champion of Guyana on Thursday.
ABAP executive director Ed Picson is guardedly optimistic, noting that the world’s best is here.
“There are more boxers and countries here than in the Olympics. We face some tough fights but the boys have prepared well. There are no weight problems, they’re eating and training well and they’ve adjusted well to the weather, since we arrived 4 days before Opening day,” Picson said.