by Nick Giongco
LOS ANGELES — Apart from fighting in the Olympics, it was Charly Suarez’s dream to turn professional and win a world crown.
While critics scoff at his decision to leave the amateur ranks at the ripe age of 30, Suarez insists it was written in the stars.
“That’s the plan for me,” said Suarez on Saturday night (Sunday in Manila) at Staples Center, one of his dreams.
“Even before, turning professional was already in my mind but I did not make the 2008 Olympics (Beijing) and the 2012 Olympics (London) so I tried one more time in 2012 (Rio de Janeiro),” he said.
Suarez was determined to turn pro had he competed in 2008 and 2012 but he didn’t make the grade.
“That’s the reason why I still tried one more time in Brazil,” said Suarez, who was eliminated in his first outing.
A hand and leg injury following the Olympics prevented him from going pro, giving him the opportunity to carry the flag for the nth time.
“I competed in India and Kazakhstan (this year) and I got injured again. When the injury healed, that’s the time I formally told the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines of my plans.”
A few weeks ago, Suarez, a silver medalist in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games and two-time Southeast Asian Games champion, began training at the Survival Camp of Joven Jimenez, who trains reigning world champ Jerwin Ancajas and fellow Olympian Mark Barriga.
Jimenez is lining him up for a December fight in the Philippines in an effort to fast-track his climb to the ratings.
Based on the team’s projection, Suarez, is he keeps on winning, could be in line for a shot at the world title by 2020.
Sean Gibbons, the globetrotting US boxing man responsible for the rise of Ancajas, has vowed to help Suarez fulfill his dreams.
Suarez maintains that the desire to win remains burning as he rattled off the names of the fighters he met during his illustrious career in the amateurs.
Vasyl Lomachenko, one of boxing’s top fighters, is one. Oscar Valdez, the Mexican hotshot now under Top Rank, is also one, alongside Rio Olympics gold medalist Robson Conceicao, another Bob Arum fighter.
For Suarez, it is better late than never.
