Olympics-bound Magno, boxers lead combat sports bets in ‘Calambubble’

Tokyo Olympics-bound Irish Magno and other boxers head combat sports bets who will enter the Calamba sports bubble starting on Friday, January 15.

The 17-member boxing contingent will be joined by karatekas and taekwondo jins at the Inspire Sports Academy over the weekend up to Monday as the national athletes ramp up their training which got stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nesthy Petecio, a gold medalist in the 2019 Women’s World Boxing Championships, and fellow Mindanao-based boxers Carlo Paalam, Marvin Tabamo, John Paul Panuayan, Mario Fernandez, and Marjon Pianar are flying in on Friday to join their counterparts from Luzon and the Visayas.

Also checking in are former world champion Josie Gabuco and Ira Villegas and national coaches Elmer Pamisa, Nolito and Roel Velasco, Mitchel Martinez, Pat Gaspi, and Jojen and Rogen Ladon.

Magno, an Asian Games and World Championships veteran, will arrive Saturday with Australian boxing consultant Don Abnett.

Visayans Ian Clark Bautista, James Palicte, Jere Samuel dela Cruz, Riza Pasuit and coach Reynaldo Galido will plane in on Monday from Bacolod City.

Eumir Marcial, who has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, has opted to train in the United States, where he made a successful pro debut last month, under revered coach Freddie Roach.

Petecio is given strong chances of catching the last ride to Tokyo by way of the final Olympic Qualifier in June in Paris, France, among the batch chosen by the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines.

Following the boxers on Saturday are karatekas Jamie Lim, Jason Ramil Macaalay, Ivan Agustin, Shrief Afif, and Alwayn Batican. They will be accompanied by coaches Jonel Perania and Norman Montalvo.

Taekwondo jins Kirstie Elaine Alora, Kurt Barbosa, Samuel Morrison, Arven Alcantara Joseph Chua, Babie Jessica Canabal and Laila Delo, and coaches Carlos Padilla, Al Christian dela Cruz, and Luis de Mesa are coming in over the weekend. – Rappler.com