The boxing tournament of the Southeast Asian Games starts on August 20

Carlo Paalam

The boxing tournament of the Southeast Asian Games will be starting in the capital city of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur on August 20. The multisport event holds every two years and in the region its importance is like an Asian Games or an Olympic Games. The boxing competitions of the SEA Games will see several top boxers in action including medallists from the World and Asian events.
The boxing tournament of the Southeast Asian Games is scheduled in six men’s weight classes in Kuala Lumpur: light flyweight (49kg), flyweight (52kg), bantamweight (56kg), light welterweight (64kg), middleweight (75kg) and light heavyweight (81kg). China’s experienced boxing official Mr. Yue Yan is the Supervisor in the boxing tournament of the Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur.
Philippines ranked No.1 in the boxing tournament of the Southeast Asian Games in Singapore two years ago, Vietnam was the runner-up sensationally, and Thailand secured only the third place in the competition in 2015. The Thai-Filipino rivalry is strong in the region and their boxers trained hard to be in top form in the Southeast Asian Games. Altogether 54 boxers registered from 10 strong countries to the event, only Brunei was unable to send fighters to Kuala Lumpur.
Philippines’ strong delegation comprises AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist super talented Carlo Paalam, ASBC Asian Youth Champion Ian Clark Bautista, Incheon 2014 Asian Games bronze medallist Mario Fernandez, Rio 2016 Olympian Charly Suarez and ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist Eumir Felix Marcial. Their sixth boxer will be a newcomer UK-based talent, Marvin John Noble Tupas at the light heavyweight (81kg) in the SEA Games.
Thailand was the region’s best boxing country in the recent 20 years and after their relatively low number of gold medals in 2015, their experienced athletes are ready to show their power in Kuala Lumpur. ASBC Asian Champion Chatchai Butdee, AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Wuttichai Masuk, ASBC Asian Youth Champion Thani Narinram and ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships bronze medallist Tanes Ongjunta are the key members of their delegation.
Malaysia is the host of the Southeast Asian Games and the country’s best boxers prepared hard to take top results on home soil. Their national team prepared for the actions in Kazakhstan in the recent months and some of them are among the favourites in the event. Muhammad Fuad Bin Mohamed Redzuan, Abdul Salam Bin Kasim and Khir Akyazlan Bin Azmi are all top boxers who need to be watched in the event.
Indonesia showed superb development in the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships in Tashkent and the current Southeast Asian Games is their preparation for the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games. Former APB boxer Kornelis Kwangu Langu (49kg), Ulaanbaatar Box Cup winner Aldoms Suguro (52kg) and Simon Makerawe (56kg) are their key boxers in the current Southeast Asian Games.
Vietnam’s best chances to reach top results in the SEA Games are Huynh Ngoc Tan (49kg) and Vo Van Que (81kg). Their best ladies are preparing to the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships which will be held in Ho Chi Minh City in November while their top male talents are planning to show their new skills in Kuala Lumpur.
The Cambodians trained together with the Thai squad in the recent one month and their best hope could be Felix Merlin Martinez, a former Cuban boxer who lives and trains in the developing Southeast Asian country and will be attending at the light heavyweight (81kg) in Kuala Lumpur.
Singapore will have also strong squad in Kuala Lumpur including experienced Leong Jun Hao and their boxers trained in India in the recent weeks. Myanmar, Laos and East Timor will be also attending in the boxing tournament of the Southeast Asian Games to get at least one medal.