4 Pinoy pugs take on world’s best

MANILA, Philippines - London Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga heads a lean PLDT-ABAP national boxing team vying against the world’s best in the AIBA World Boxing Championships which gets going Monday in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

But Barriga, of Panabo, Davao del Norte, will not see action until Wednesday when he slugs it out with 2011 SEA Games silver medalist Ngoc Huynh of Vietnam in one of the matches in the 49kg light flyweight division.

Kicking off the Filipinos’ bid in the event, which drew 457 boxers from 100 countries, is Gen. Santos City’s Roldan Boncales, who was set to mix it up with Beijing Olympics veteran Eddie Barillas of Guatemala Monday in the flyweight category. 

Dennis Galvan of Bago City, a gold medalist in the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia, takes on Azerbaijan’s London Olympics bet Gaybatulla Godzhialiyev Tuesday in the light welterweight match while Bukidnon’s Mario Fernandez sets out agaisnt Guyana’s national champion Imran Khan Thursday in the bantamweight clash.

While he remains confident of his wards’ chances, at least in the early stages of the tournament, ABAP executive director Ed Picson said the field is strong, noting that the world’s best are in the fold.

“There are more boxers and countries here than in the Olympics. We face some tough fights but the boys have prepared well,” said Picson.

“There are no weight problems, they’re eating and training well and they’ve adjusted well to the chilly weather, since we arrived four days before opening day.”