Tipon-Thai match could go either way

BANGKOK – Though Thai Worapoj Petchkoom holds a slight advantage over Joan Tipon in their head-to-head duel, RP PLDT-Smart boxing team coach Pat Gaspi believes the odds are just about even between the two stylish fighters who clash for the final seat and the Olympic berth in the featured bantamweight clash in the first AIBA Asian Olympic qualifying tomorrow.

“Talent-wise, they’re just about even. They also have the same style. Both have looked forward and prepared hard for this fight, so, you can’t tell who’s going to win,” Gaspi said.

Both fighters primed themselves up for the big clash with resounding victories.  Tipon rammed Jordan’s Ebraheem Algharageer, 13-2, and Pakistan’s MukamamadAli (RSC-O, 3rd round) while Petchkoom whipped Korean Han Soon-chul, 22-7, and Homuratov Ulugbek of Uzbekistan, 22-10.

But one thing that could tilt the balance for Petchkoom, who has beaten Tipon twice in their three faceoffs, is the home crowd, expected to come in full force and play a big role in the highly anticipated showdown for one of the two tickets to the Beijing Olympics in August.

In fact, Philippine Sports Commission chair Butch Ramirez has asked the Philippine Embassy here, through Ambassador Antonio Rodriguez, to rally the Filipinos working in this capital city and nearby areas to support Tipon’s make-or-break bid.

“This is one fight where we need the support of the Filipinos here. We have to neutralize the expected boisterous pro-Petchkoom crowd and inspire our fighter,” said Ramirez, who arrived here Monday but left for Manila Wednesday to honor a previous commitment. He is expected to be back in time for the Tipon fight.

Tipon needs to hurdle Petchkoom in a duel of world-class fighters  after a miserable performance in the World Championships, the first Beijing elims, where he got booted out in the first round.

Petchkoom essayed that early Tipon exit but the Filipino bet has vowed to get back at Petchkoom, who seeks to join five other Thais who have qualified for Beijing.

Another loss, however, will not mean the end of the road for Tipon and the four other RP fighters who fell on the second day of action here. He  will still have his last crack at the Olympics in the second and last Asian Qualifier in Kazakhstan in April.

But having reached this far on two astounding victories, Tipon believes he has regained the form that netted him the gold medal in the 2006 Asian Games in Doha even as he vowed to go flat out to stop Petchkoom and silence the expected rowdy Petchkoom fans.