Charly Suarez. AFP (file photo) |
By JP Abcede
QIAN'AN--Filipino boxers Charly Suarez and Rogen Ladon managed to book themselves to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil after each reached the final of their respective weight categories in the Asia and Oceania Olympic qualifier over the weekend.
Suarez scored a third round TKO victory over Shan Jun of China in the semifinal round of the 60kg category to make it to the summer spectacle this August.
He, however, succumbed to Otgondalai Dorjnyambuu of Mongolia in the gold medal match. This is Suarez’ second loss in their third meeting.
Meanwhile, light flyweight Roger Ladon was once again stopped by nemesis Hasanboy Dusmatov of Uzbekistan in the final.
The Brazil-bound sluggers met in the final of the Asian Confederation Boxing Championships in Bangkok, Thailand in September 2015.
Finally, Felix Marcial and Mario Fernandez took home bronze medals in the tournament, but their effort was not enough for them to be included as they lost in their battle for the third and final slot in the welterweight and bantamweight classes respectively.
Marcial, who fought with swollen knuckles on his left hand, lost to Mongolia’s Byambyn Tüvshinbat, while Fernandez was shut out by Kairat Yeraliyev of Kazakhstan.
The next Olympic qualifying tourneys will be the 2016 AIBA Pro Boxing and World Series of Boxing qualifier on May 13-22 in Sofia, Bulgaria and the 2016 AIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament on June 7-19 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Meanwhile, the 2016 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan on May 19-27 will give Filipina boxers a chance to represent the country at the Olympics if ABAP decides to field a contingent there.
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