Rio-bound boxers focused on training amid multimillion incentives

Boxers Charly Suarez and Rogen Ladon during the PSA Forum on Tuesday. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

A hefty retirement package awaits boxers Charly Suarez and Rogen Ladon if they bring home the gold medal from the Olympics in Rio De Janeiro.

Aside from the cash incentive worth P10 million from the government, these Filipino boxers could earn as much as P20 million including the pledges of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and businessman Manny V. Pangilinan.

Boxing coach Boy Velasco said Pacquiao promised P5 million while Pangilinan, amateur boxing’s prime supporter, has also committed an undisclosed amount for the gold.

But right now, thinking about the riches that accompany such feat hasn’t sunk into the psyche of Suarez, who will compete in the lightweight division, and the light flyweight Ladon yet.

“I’m not really thinking about it. My focus is on the training and preparation for the Olympics,’’ said the 27-year-old Suarez in Filipino during the Philippine Sportwriters Association forum held at Shakey’s Malate.

“This is my last chance. There will be no more tomorrow.’’

Suarez and Ladon made it to the Rio Summer Games on Aug. 5-21 through a continental Olympic qualifying last month in China.

“Training first. I still have a lot of things to improve on, including power and endurance,’’ said Ladon, who aspires to quench the country’s thirst for an Olympic medal for the past 20 years.

Entered in the light fly like Ladon, Mansueto “Onyok’’ Velasco pocketed the last medal for the Philippines—a silver in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

Republic Act 10699, authored by Sen. Sonny Angara and signed into law by President Aquino, rewards gold-medal winners in the Olympics with P10 million while a silver and bronze are worth P5 million and P2
million, respectively.