Boxers Joan Tipon, Orlando Tacuyan out of SEA Games

Joan Tipon of the Philippines, left, slips a punch thrown by South Korea's Han Soon-chul during the final of the Bantam 54kg boxing category at the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar in 2006. Tipon took the gold medal. (AP Photo/Junji Kurokawa)

MANILA, Philippines—Former Asian Games champion Joan Tipon and Orlando Tacuyan Jr. were stricken off the national boxing team roster for the Southeast Asian Games next month.

The Philippine Olympic Committee accepted newcomers Junel Cantancio and Dennis Galvan as their replacements but Philippine chef de mission Romeo Magat said the Indonesia SEA Games Organizing Committee will have the final say on the last-minute change.

Cantancio, 23, will take over from the 29-year-old Tipon, a 2006 Asian Games gold medalist, in the 56-kilogram category while Galvan will compete in the 64kg division.

Ed Picson, Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines’ executive director, said Cantancio was actually the original choice for the World Boxing Championship last month but fell ill and Tipon was sent instead.

After the Nov. 11-22 SEA Games, Picson said the boxing association will go back to the drawing board and identify the boxers for the Asian championship tentatively scheduled April next year which is the last continental qualifier of the Olympics.

“It’s now up to the organizers if they would allow these boxers to compete,” said Magat.

Besides Galvan and Cantancio, Abap is fielding Mark Anthony Barriga, Rey Saludar, Charly Suarez, Delfin Boholst and women boxers Alice Kate Aparri, Analisa Cruz, Josie Gabuco and Nesthy Petecio.

Taekwondo also made a late change on Wednesday, replacing two-time Olympian Mary Antoinette Rivero from its SEA Games roster with Pauline Lopez.

Sidelined by a swollen right knee following a two-week camp in Korea, the 23-year-old Rivero will focus instead on clinching an Olympic spot in the Asian championship in Bangkok on Nov. 6.