SEA Games: National boxing coach rues John Marvin’s early exit

John Marvin was the first Filipino bet to crash out in the SEA Games boxing competition. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Teammates and coaches alike were all stunned when John Marvin suffered a shock loss in the quarterfinals of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games’ boxing competition.

Nolito Velasco, the head coach of the national women’s boxing team, was Marvin’s mentor in the 2017 SEA Games where the captivating pugilist captured the light heavyweight gold medal in 21 seconds.

Marvin lost to Vietnam’s Dinh Hoang Truong via split decision, 3-2, after he suffered a first round knockdown.

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“Of course I was hurt because I’m not there to coach him anymore because now I’m in charge of the women’s team and I told him that I won’t be around him much because I’m now handling my own boxers,” said Velasco in Filipino.

“What I taught him before was to be really tough.”

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Marvin knew he was behind in points after the first round and he fought desperately to at least get the judges’ nods in the next two periods but Truong’s shock punch in the opener was enough for the Vietnamese to take the decision win.

What made Marvin’s loss that much paiunful for Velasco was his former pupil suffered a hand injury in the first round.

Marvin’s right hand got swollen preventing him from punching properly in the latter rounds.

“I expected him to take the gold and it’s just unfortunate that even though the hand was bandaged up he was still injured,” said Velasco.