POC: Boxing has fighting chance in LA

MANILA, Philippines — Boxing, the Philippines’ biggest source of medals in the Olympics, may be on the ropes facing exclusion from the 2028 Los Angeles Games but hopes are high for it to be saved by the bell.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said there’s a fighting chance the discipline, a staple in the Olympic calendar, would stay if the newly-formed World Boxing (WB) gets the nod of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as an an official international federation (IF).

“Definitely, ang magla-lobby dyan ‘yung bagong IF. We need more than 50 (member) countries. Malapit na so may pag-asa pa sa LA,” said Tolentino, a guest in “The Agenda” forum at the Club Filipino in San Juan yesterday.

World Boxing entered the picture last year after the IOC stripped the governing body of the sport, the International Boxing Association (IBA), of recognition due to governance issues and controversies.

The IOC took over in organizing the boxing competition in Paris and in LA, World Boxing could land a haymaker if it meets the requirement of more than 50 national federation members.

World Boxing currently has 37 members, including the Philippines as one of the founding members, with a promise of enforcing a bevy of reforms led by a review and challenge system like other sports aimed at reviving the sports’ integrity and legacy.

Boxing produced two bronze medals for the Philippines in Paris courtesy of Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas after a 1-2-1 haul in Tokyo.

Boxing now has 10 of the country’s 18 Olympic medals led by first gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz (weightlifting) and double-gold mint winner Carlos Yulo (gymnastics).

Meanwhile, Tolentino reiterated his call to give the POC its own home.

“We’ve participated in the Olympics for a century, but up to now, the POC still needs to have its own home,” Tolentino said.

Tolentino said the POC home can feature a museum honoring the country’s greatest athletes.

This was a request he personally conveyed to President Marcos after a meeting that went well during the Hero’s Welcome last Tuesday at Malacañang.

“My vision about the House of POC includes a museum where the memorabilia of our great athletes, including those of Caloy and Hidilyn could be viewed by Filipinos,” said Tolentino, noting that even the smallest Southeast Asian country in Timor Leste has its own headquarters.

The POC is currently residing at the PhilSports Complex in Pasig City after previously holding a small office at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.

Once the House of POC materializes with the first plan at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex in Pasay, Tolentino said it could also serve as a tourism site, especially for students, to revisit the Olympians’ feat through their worn uniforms, medal replicas, competition gears and winning photos.