MANILA, Philippines –  The Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) looks to add to the country’s medal haul by proposing the inclusion of  20 events in the 2019  Manila Southeast Asian Games. 

 Ed Picson, the national boxing federation’s secretary general, said aside from the men’s and women’s events, ABAP plans to include the junior boys and girls divisions in the regional meet.

“We’re looking at possibly 20 events, men and women, maybe 6 for men’s elite, 6 for women’s elite and for the juniors,” said Picson during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday, September 18. 

The junior events will allow rising boxers across Southeast Asia aged 15 to 16 years old to join the biennial meet. 

Picson hopes the junior categories would be immediately tagged as a regular events once the proposal gets the nod of the SEA Games Federation Council (SEAGFC) in November 2018. 

“It’s legitimate anyway, there’s world juniors, there’s Asia juniors, World youth, Asia youth,” added Picson. 

“This November there’s a SEA Games council meeting, we’re hoping that they will approve [the events there].” 

After seeing action in the controversial 2018 Asian Games boxing tournament, the Filipino boxers are now moving forward to train for bigger tournaments such as the 2018 AIBA Women’s World Championships in November and the 39th International Tammer Tournament in Finland on October. 

According to Picson, Olympian Charly Suarez is also set to return from injury as ABAP has already received recommendation from his head coach Ronald Chavez to join the tournament in Finland. – Rappler.com