FEARSOME THREESOME
Vargas pinning hopes on Tokyo heroes
Massive pressure will be on the shoulders of Carlo Paalam, Nesthy Petecio and Eumir Marcial when they compete in the boxing competition of the Paris Olympics.
Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines chairman Ricky Vargas told DAILY TRIBUNE that he is hoping that Paalam, Petecio and Marcial — all medalists in the previous Tokyo Olympics — would land on the medal podium of the Summer Games next month.
And if luck rolls their way, the troika could end up giving the Filipinos their second Olympic gold medal.
“It gives us five chances to win a medal. Three of them have already won medals in the past in the Tokyo Olympics so they know what it takes to win a medal in the Olympics,” Vargas said, adding that it has been his dream of seeing a Filipino boxer emerging victorious in the Summer Games.
“I’m confident they will get a gold medal. That’s my dream.”
But the road to an Olympic gold medal will not be easy for Paalam and Marcial.
Paalam, who formally earned an Olympic berth during the 2nd Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Bangkok two weeks ago, is expected to land in a group featuring continental and world champions.
Among the notable boxers who are expected to challenge Paalam in the men’s 57-kilogram division are 2023 world and Asian Games champion Abdulmalik Khalokov of Uzbekistan, 2021 world and 2023 Pan Am gold medalist Jahmal Harvey of the United States and Makhmud Sabyrkhan of Kazakhstan, who won gold in the 2023 worlds as a bantamweight and silver in the 2021 worlds.
Other marquee names that Paalam will likely face includes Romania-born Vasile Usturoi of Belgium, the 2022 European titleholder, Jude Gallagher of Ireland, the 2022 Commonwealth Games topnotcher, and Saidel Horta of Cuba, the 2023 worlds silver medalist.
Also capable of shining are Jose Quiles of Spain, the silver medalist in the 2023 European Games, and Japanese Shudai Harada, the 19th Asian Games runner-up.
Marcial, the silver medalist in the 19th Asian Games, is also headed for a tough time in Paris.
Tipped to challenge the 28-year-old
Marcial in the men’s 80-kilogram division are Cuban super champion Arlen Lopez and Ukrainian Oleksandr Khyzhniak as well as Asian Games gold medalist Toqtarbek Tanatqan of China.
Lopez is said to be favored as he won the gold medal as a light heavyweight in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and the gold medal as a middleweight in the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016.
Also, Lopez captured the gold as a middleweight during the 2015 World Championships in Doha and was a threetime Pan American Games gold medalist.
Like Marcial, Lopez is also a professional fighter with a 2-0 record with two knockouts.
Aside from Paalam, Petecio and Marcial, also set to don the national colors for the Philippine boxing team are Olympic greenhorns Hergie Bacyadan and Aira Villegas.
But the ABAP is making sure that they will be prepared when they march to the biggest and most prestigious sports event in the world.
In fact, the Filipino pugs will be setting up camp in Saarbrücken, Germany from 1 to 14 July before joining the rest of the delegation in Metz, France for the final preparations.
Vargas said he isn’t worried that the Filipino pugs will get scouted in the German camp as the boxers will know their bouts once the draw has been made for the Paris Games.
“There will be a draw in the Olympic Village so even if they’re in Germany, they won’t know yet who will they fight at that time,” Vargas said.