HAMBURG, Germany – A smashing return to the Asian Games and making a dent in the Youth Olympic Games next year are on the radar screen of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP).
The 2018 Asian Games will be hosted by Indonesia in August while the Youth Olympics will take place in Argentina in October.
“These are the priority events next year,” said ABAP executive director Ed Picson, head of delegation of the boxing team that competed in the 17th AIBA World Championship.
But the trip here proved forgettable as light-flyweight Rogen Ladon, seeded fifth, was upset in the round-of-16 by Zhomart Yerzhan of Kazakhstan while fly Dannel Maamo was eliminated by Cuban top pick Yosbany Veitia also in the second round of preliminaries at the Sporthalle.
Picson said candidates to the Asiad in Jakarta would have to make heads turn when the ABAP kicks off its massive buildup to earn a spot on the team since there will be no qualifying event.
