RP, Thai boxers wouldn’t mind early showdown

BACOLOD–The Philippine boxing team and arch rival Thailand both want to avoid early confrontation in the SEA Games slugfest here.

"We hope to avoid early matches with them. But if we don’t avoid it, so be it. We’ll fight, that’s what we came here for," said Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines president Manny Lopez.

Thai boxing team manager Col. Thitiphan Pewsupon said the same thing Thursday.

Both teams fielded a complete 14-man lineup and they’re expected to figure in a battle royal for the overall championship in this event, which comes off the wraps Tuesday and concludes with the final matches on Dec. 5.

The draw is set tomorrow morning at the La Salle-Bacolod gym.

"It’s better if our fighters find themselves pitted against the Thais already in the medal plays," said Lopez although he expressed confidence the RP pugs can hold their own against the Thais.

Team Philippines is out to end Thailand’s domination of the event dating back to the 1993 Singapore Games.

The RP fighters last won the boxing overall crown in 1991 in Manila.

Lopez is confident Team Philippines can beat Thailand fair and square, allaying fears of bum officiating. Pewsupon said they want to avoid early collisions with the Filipino boxers upon arrival in the country Thursday. He didn’t elaborate but he was obviously fearing hometown decisions for the host bets.

I n Ho Chi Minh in 2003, the Thai fighters re-stamped their class with seven golds, one silver and one bronze.

Four of their champion fighters in the 2003 Games are back, joining two Athens Olympics medalists in the team that includes other worthy fighters in lightflyweight Suban Pannon, bantamweight Taengthong Khlongchan and pinweight Kanchana Tungthaisong.

Against these Thai world beaters, the Philippines is pitting pinweight Juanito Magliquian, light fly Harry Tañamor, fly Warlito Parrenas, bantam Joan Tipon, feather Joegin Ladon, lightweight Genebert Basadre, light welter Romeo Brin, welter Mark Melligen, middle Reynaldo Galido, pinweight Alice Kate Aparri, lightweight Analiza Cruz, flyweight Annie Albania, bantamweight Jouvilet Chilem and lightweight Mitchel Martinez.