Coaches pin hopes on Harry

MANILA, Philippines - National coaches Pat Gaspi and Ronald Chavez are confident the country’s five-man team, headed by lightflyweight veteran Harry Tañamor, will make waves at the 15th World Boxing Championships in Milan starting today.

Over 500 fighters from more than 100 countries are vying for honors in 11 weight divisions in the biennial tournament that was inaugurated in 1974. In the World Championships, the Philippines has so far collected four medals, three of which were contributed by Tañamor.

Roel Velasco broke the ice with a silver in the 48 kilogram class in 1997 in Budapest. Then, Tañamor claimed a bronze in Belfast in 2001, another bronze in Bangkok in 2003 and a silver in Chicago two years ago.

Action begins in the preliminaries at the Mediolanum Forum this afternoon (Manila time). The draw was held yesterday at the Piere Emanuelle City gym. The weight limits in the 11 divisions are 48 kilograms or 106 pounds (lightflyweight), 51 or 112 (flyweight), 54 or 119 (bantamweight), 57 or 125 (featherweight), 60 or 132 (lightweight), 64 or 141 (lightwelterweight), 69 or 152 (welterweight), 75 or 165 (middleweight), 81 or 178 (lightheavyweight), 91 or 201 (heavyweight) and plus-91 or over 201 (superheavyweight).

Aside from the 31-year-old Tañamor, the Filipino contenders are bantamweight Joan Tipon, 27, featherweight Charly Suarez, 21, lightweight Joegin Ladon, 28, and lightwelterweight Genebert Basadre, 25.

Gaspi, 47, said he has high hopes that Tañamor will finally capture the gold in the World Championships particularly as his Chinese nemesis Zou Shiming – who beat him in Bangkok and Chicago – isn’t competing in Milan.

“Harry still has the best chance of our fighters to win a medal,” said Gaspi. “But I think the others will surprise us. Our No. 1 advantage is we fight with a lot of heart. Our boys will give it their all. Experience will be on our side particularly as Harry, Joan and Genebert are veterans.”

Tañamor won the World Cup in Russia last year and has participated in two Olympics. Tipon took the gold medal at the 2005 Southeast Asian and 2006 Asian games. Basadre was a 2005 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist and bagged the bronze at the 2006 Asian Games.

Chavez, 39, also singled out Tañamor as the country’s best bet for a medal.

“I was with Harry at the World Cup which was an invitational tournament,” said Chavez who joined Gaspi in the coaching staff at the last World Championships in Chicago. “Moving into the semifinals, I knew Harry would win the gold. It’s the same feeling I have now. We don’t plan to go home without a medal. We want to give back to our sponsors. We’re fighting for our country.”

Chavez said the Philippine delegation has no referee in the World Championships pool and that may or may not be a disadvantage.

“Of course, we could’ve been more prepared if we had more international competitions but this year, we only went to the King’s Cup in Thailand with Tipon, Basadre and Ladon,” said Chavez. “Basadre got the silver and Ladon, the bronze but Tipon went home without a medal after losing his second match to a Thai.”

Despite the lack of overseas exposure, Chavez said the five fighters are in top condition and ready to rumble.