AFTER logging at least 14 weeks of training since the national boxing team arrived in Thailand in March, winning gold in the Tokyo Olympics would boil down to three variables—draw, performance and luck.
“These things play a crucial factor in the Olympics,” Don Abnett, the Australian national team consultant of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines, said. “But all four are capable of winning gold in Tokyo.”
World champion Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam and Irish Magno hardly trained together as a team in pandemic 2020 but were flown to Thailand by the ABAP where they set up training camp alongside Thai Tokyo hopefuls in Muaklek Sarabori province.
Eumir Felix Marcial, on the other hand, trained under professional tutelage for four months late 2020 at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card gym, winning his four-round pro debut, but losing his return to the amateur ring in the Asian championships last month.
Marcial, however, is back to amateur basics at the US Olympic training center in Colorado Springs.
“He [Marcial] needs to be back to amateur training. He got amateur opponents there to hone his skills and tactics,” Abnett said. “He needs to know the opponents he’s going to face in Tokyo and apply his tactics.”
Marcial was shocked atop the ring with a forgettable quarterfinal-round 0-5 loss to Uzbekistan’s Jafarov Saidjamshid in the Asian Elite Championships in Dubai.
“It’s more on tactics and sprint in a shorter round for amateurs, while professional has longer rounds, but Eumir has a lot of international experiences behind him,” Abnett said. “He just needs to focus to be successful. He has a good chance to win the gold.”
Abnett said Petecio, Magno and Paalam has sparred 24 quality rounds so far in training camp.
The first four weeks in Thailand was devoted to 60 percent general training and 40 specific training set for twice a day.
Wednesday mornings, Abnett said, are for recovery and massage while Sundays are active dedicated for whole-day recovery. Competition and conditioning sparring are also set Wednesdays and Saturdays.
“The boxers have a good chance because they are preparing very well and are very dedicated in training,” Abnett said. “We just have to maintain good preparation and good planning heading toward the Olympics.”
The Olympic boxing competitions are set at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan from July 24 to August 7. The draw will be on July 23 with Petecio climbing the ring first on July 24, followed by Magno on July 25 and Marcial and Paalam on July 26.
“Paalam is doing extremely well in sparring and training, while Magno has improved very well,” Abnett said. “Petecio, on the other hand, has become stronger and faster.”