Guangzhou Asian Games gold medalist Rey Saludar leads a six-man team of fighters to the Aiba World Boxing Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, Saturday to vie for slots in the first major qualifying tournament for the 2012 London Olympics.
The top eight boxers from different weight classes in the tournament set from Sept. 26 to Oct. 8 will advance to the Summer Games.
An Asian Olympic qualifying tournament is scheduled in Kazakhstan early next year, but it is in the World Championship where the Filipino boxers have their best shot.
Saludar will compete in the 52-kg flyweight division. With him are light flyweight Anthony Barriga (46-49 kg), bantamweight Joan Tipon (56kg), lightweight Charly Suarez (60kg), light welterweight Rolando Tacuyan (64kg), and welterweight Delfin Boholst (69kg).
The Filipinos are expected to have a hard time against crack boxers from Russia, the United States, which enlisted the help of pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach, and the hometown fighters of Azerbaijan.