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COURAGE IS THE HALLMARK OF FILIPINO BOXERS EYEING RIO OLYMPIC QUALIFYING BERTHS IN AZERBAIJAN
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 01 Jun 2016
The Filipino boxers selected to compete in the last Rio Olympics qualifying tournament in Azerbaijan may be a little short on skills but their courage and punching power are unquestioned.
This is the candid assessment of ?Dodong? Donaire, trainer/father of WBO super bantamweight and five division world champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire who is serving as a consultant to the ABAP an helping the resident trainers at the ABAP training camp in Baguio City.
Expected to represent the Philippines in Azerbaijan are welterweight Eumir Felix Marcial, Mario Fernandez and Mark Anthony Bautista with light welterweight Dennis Galvan likely to take the place of eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao who decided last week to forego an Olympic gold medal bid despite the offer of a ?wild card entry? by AIBA president Dr. Wu Ching-Kuo in order to fulfill his obligations as a newly-elected senator.
Donaire told The Standard that he was impressed by the courage and fighting heart of the Filipinos and their punching power, especially that of Marcial who has completely recovered from a hand injury suffered in the last Olympic qualifier in China.
He said the boxers are ?in great shape and ready? and only need to fine tune their skills before launching their quest for an Olympic berth beginning on June 19.
Donaire who believes lightweight Charly Suarez has a good chance of winning a gold medal in Rio is ripped and ready but only needs to correct a minor defect of putting his right foot forward when engaging an opponent which doesn?t give him the leverage to backpedal if he needs to.
The other qualifier is light flyweight Rogen Ladon whose success in the qualifying competition in China ended the chances of 2012 Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga who, as a result, has decided to turn pro and will make his debut against Mark Anthony Florida at the Philippine Navy Gym in Taguig City on June 18.
Florida who is a veteran of 15 fights has a record of 9-7 with 7 knockouts but took a beating in his last fight when he retired in the 7th round against unbeaten Melvin Jerusalem on June 28, 2015.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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