Thailand will be the Philippines’ biggest stumbling block in its bold bid to retain the overall crown in boxing in the 29th Southeast Asian Games next month in Kuala Lumpur.
But the host country should not be overlooked as well.
Malaysia has sent its SEAG squad to Almaty in Kazakhstan for training in the hopes of improving the chances of top bets Muhammad Fuad Bin Mohammed Redzuan (49 kg) and Abdul Salam Kasin (52 kg).
The boxing competitions will be held from Aug. 20-24.
Kazakhstan is a world power in amateur boxing, having won one gold, two silvers, and two bronzes in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
In its short history of Olympic boxing, Kazakhstan has also won six golds previous to 2016.
Kazakhstan is also where Gennady Golovkin, regarded as the world’s top pound-for-pound fighter comes from.
The Philippines will parade a solid six-man team in KL with Charly Suarez and Eumir Felix Marcial as top guns.