Light flyweight (49 kilograms) amateur boxer Mark Anthony Barriga has a Goliathan task on his fists as he aims to capture the first Gold medal which has eluded the country since participating in the games in 1924.
Though abundant in boxing talent and known for world beaters like 8-division world champion Manny Pacquiao, WBO and IBF super bantamweight Nonito Donaire, Jr. and many others, the Philippines was only able to send the height-challenged Barriga, who stands just a few shades over 5 feet, to represent its pugilistic tradition in the London Games.
The 19-year-old Barriga, nicknamed “Bulilit” (mall kid), will open his campaign facing Manuel Cappai of Italy in the first round of action on Tuesday, July 31st. Cappai, listed at 5’6″, has a significant height and reach advantage over Barriga, making for a visual David and Goliath match-up.
Barriga is not the least bit concerned. “Even if we say it’s hard to achieve (winning Olympic gold), we Filipinos still dream to make it. I am one of those with that dream,” Barriga said. And why not? It was another undersized Filipino after all who almost won Gold in the Olympics almost two decades ago at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Incidentally, Mansuelto “Onyok” Velasco fought at light flyweight as well when he almost plucked the Gold before losing out to Daniel Petrov of Bulgaria.
If Barriga finds a way to beat Cappai, he will have his hands full in the next rounds, as he will need to fend off top dogs like 2008 Gold medalist Lou Shiming of China, Birzhan Zhakypov of Kazakhstan, and Cuban Yosbany Soto.
Barriga is training hard and coached by former Olympian Roel Velasco, who won Bronze in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics in boxing, also as a light flyweight. ABAP executive director Ed Picson said that Barriga’s training has gone well, and free from distractions, and was even able to play a game of basketball with some Filipinos in London.
