MANILA, Philippines?Respected American sports publication Sports Illustrated has tipped Filipino boxer Harry Tañamor to capture the light flyweight silver medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

In its Olympic preview issue, dated July 28 and accessed online at www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com, the magazine, which has 23 million readers in the United States alone, also projected 2007 world champion Zou Shiming of China to bag the gold in the 48-kg division.

Shiming, the reigning Asian Games gold medalist and a bronze winner in the 2004 Athens Games, beat Tañamor convincingly, 16-3, in the finals of the world championships in Chicago last year.

The silver enabled Tañamor, who also competed in the Athens Olympics, to qualify for the Beijing Games.

Manny Lopez, president of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines, Monday said the SI projection is a ?good psychological boost? for Tañamor.

?We?re very flattered,? Lopez told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net). ?But Harry cannot rest on his laurels. We want the gold.?

Lopez said Tañamor, who begins his quest on Aug. 13, is tapering off in training and, together with the coaching staff, is focusing on fight strategies.

Sports Illustrated also predicted Patrick Barnes of Ireland and Sherali Dostiev of Tajikistan to win the bronze medal in Tañamor?s division.