Ladon, Paalam, Marcial seek Asiad boxing finals

JAKARTA – The entire contingent rallies behind three boxers as they climb the ring Friday, eyeing shots at additional gold medals for Team Philippines in the 18th Asian Games here.

Flyweight Rogen Ladon takes on a Thai rival, light fly Carlo Paalam trades blows with an Indian foe while middleweight Eumir Felix Marcial slugs it out with an Uzbek fighter in the semifinals where the winners are assured of at least a silver medal.

“All those three are strong bets,” said boxing secretary general Ed Picson on the trio with a chance to improve on Philippine boxing’s one-silver and three-bronze production in Incheon in 2014.

“But, of course, they will be up against tough rivals, too. They won’t reach the semifinals if they’re patsies. Our boys have to be at their best. Walang lalaylay, walang magku-kumpiyansa. They have to grab it,” said Picson.

“I’m confident. I’m optimistic. I have faith in them,” said Picson of Ladon, Paalam and Marcial who are looking to have a fighting chance at matching the three golden feats of Onyok Velasco, Elias Recaido and Reynaldo Galido in 1994 in Hiroshima or the two golden efforts of Joan Tipon and Violito Payla in 2006 in Doha.

And in the hands of these fighters rest the chance of the Philippines to churn out its best finish in the overall medal tally since 1962 when the country went home with seven gold, six silver and 25 bronze medals, incidentally, also from this Indon capital.

Ladon is the first to climb the ring at 2:15 p.m. against Thai Yuttapong Tongdee, an old rival with whom he split two previous matches.

Next is Paalam, who fights Indian Amit, a dangerous rival coming from a silver-medal showing in the recent Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. He was bronze medal winner in the 2017 Asian Championships in Tashkent and fifth placer in the World Championships in Hamburg also last year.

Marcial then goes up against Uzbek Israil Madrinov, a confident fighter eyeing to surpass his silver-medal feat in Incheon in 2014.

Psychologist Marcus Manalo was with the Filipino fighters in viewing tapes of their rivals Wednesday night. Manalo is helping the Filipinos to be at their best physically and mentally in their bouts here.

On Thursday, Ladon, Paalam and Marcial stayed in their quarters while the rest of the boxing team attended a dinner with a Filipino community here.

Each one is focused to deliver their best shots Friday.