ABAP to undergo leadership change

MANILA, Philippines – After eight years at the helm, ABAP president Ricky Vargas said yesterday it’s time to pass the torch, pave the way for a new leadership and rearm for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The decision to move on came in the wake of the two-man Philippine boxing team’s failure to win a single fight in the Rio Games with lightflyweight Rogen Ladon and lightweight Charly Suarez bowing out in their first bouts.

Suarez was the first to fall, losing to Great Britain’s Joe Cordina via a split decision last Saturday. Then, Ladon fell by the wayside, yielding to Colombia’s Yurberjen Martinez on a unanimous verdict last Monday. There were boos from the crowd when Cordina was declared the winner as Suarez appeared to have done enough to win but under AIBA rules, no protest is entertained. Ladon’s performance wasn’t as impactful as Suarez’ but his fight also could’ve gone either way.

Vargas said he was downhearted over the boxers’ showing in Rio. “We tried our best,” he said. “It’s time to pass the leadership torch. The bench of boxers is there, young but inexperienced. Maybe, Tokyo. We need new leadership to refresh ABAP and inspire our pipeline of next generation boxers in our pool to excel.”

Vargas thanked ABAP chairman Manny V. Pangilinan for his support and said it was an honor to serve the country proudly.  Since Vargas took over as ABAP president in 2008, the Philippines collected 17 gold of 35 medals in four Southeast (SEA) Games and a gold, two silvers and two bronzes in the last two Asian Games. Additionally, Josie Gabuco won the lightflyweight gold medal at the World Championships in 2012. No other NSA has achieved more in the last eight years.

ABAP secretary-general Patrick Gregorio said the organization will follow the SBP’s lead in transferring leadership. “There won’t be a vacuum,” he said. “We will follow the guidelines of the SBP and Olympic principles. In SBP’s case, they announced a change in leadership in April and held elections in August. In ABAP’s case, we’ll probably hold elections in November or December. It’s our turn to look for the right leaders to take over. Our executive director Ed Picson has worked the hardest and showed so much dedication. There are many leaders who are capable of taking over, like former Rep. Robbie Puno and Sen. Manny Pacquiao.”

Gregorio said the stars were just not aligned for the boxers to succeed in Rio. “Of course, we’ll assess where we did wrong and where we did right so we can be prepared to do better in the future,” he said. “Now is not the time to point fingers. It wasn’t meant for us to win in Rio even as we did our best. Unlike our new national hero Hidilyn Diaz, the stars were aligned for her to take the silver.  She went through the same arduous process and sacrifice as our boxers. But she was destined to win.”

Gregorio said it’s difficult to pinpoint a specific reason for the failure in Rio. “Charly and Rogen prepared and sacrificed long and hard,” he said. “When you compete in the Olympics, you compete against the best in the world. Everybody is ready, physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally and passionately. What we can’t control or manage is destiny.”

Gregorio said the eight-year tour of duty fell short of ABAP’s goal of bagging an Olympic medal. “We couldn’t deliver an Olympic medal so despite our successes in the SEA Games, Asian Games and World Championships, we didn’t enjoy a perfect run,” he said. “The professional thing to do now is to step aside and identify the next group of leaders. We’re now on our second term and it’s time to pass the baton.”

Picson said Suarez’ loss was a bitter blow but he could’ve done more to convince two of the three judges to give him their nod.  Filipino coach Boy Velasco was in Suarez’ corner with Australian team volunteers Kevin Smith and Don Abnett. “I thought Charly took the first two rounds,” said Picson. “In the third round, Cordina kept running and Charly did the chasing. That’s not acceptable under AIBA rules. You can’t run, you’ve got to fight. Cordina never got a warning and I found it strange.”

Picson said after the fight, Suarez just shrugged off the defeat and promised to do better in the next Olympics where he’ll be 32. “That’s if he qualifies for Tokyo,” he said. “Charly told me he’s still young, it’s his first Olympics, that he’ll learn from this. What you like about Charly is his positive attitude. But I think against Cordina, he tried to fight too much like Manny Pacquiao. I remember in the last Asian Championships, he tried to fight like Floyd Mayweather, using the shoulder-roll defense. I’ve always told him not to fight like Manny or Mayweather, to just fight like Charly Suarez because he’s good the way he is.”

Picson said Cordina’s height advantage wasn’t a factor. “We knew he’s two or three inches taller,” he said. “Cordina has fought Filipino-New Zealand fighter Chad Milnes twice. Chad has trained with us in Baguio. It wasn’t like Cordina surprised us. Charly prepared hard for the fight. But for some reason, since it’s his first Olympics, he wanted to go out there and try to impress the judges by fighting like Manny. It was a close fight but one of the judges gave all three rounds to Cordina which I found questionable.”

As for Ladon, Picson said he wasn’t the same fighter in the ring against Martinez even as some observers saw it a toss-up. “I can’t explain it,” he said. “Anyone who knows how Rogen fights will tell you it was a different Rogen in Rio. Even the trainers who worked with him in Maryland messaged me asking what happened? Our sports psychologist (Marcus Manalo) texted from Manila wondering the same thing.”