Tolentino bullish on young boxer’s potential

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and Ronel Suyom

Philippine boxing’s next stars paid a courtesy call to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino on Tuesday.

And the country’s top sports official liked what he saw—paying special attention to young dynamo Ronel Suyom.

“It’s a great showing by a 17-year-old boxer from the South and we’re hoping he can be our next Olympian,” said Tolentino of Suyom, a prized find from Agusan del Norte who won a silver medal in the minimumweight class during the International Boxing Association Youth Men’s and Women’s World Championships recently in La Nucia, Spain.

“He can do a lot better [with more] trainings and competitions,” Tolentino said. “I wish him luck and encourage him to prepare himself as the next big thing in amateur boxing.”

Suyom yielded to India’s Vishvanath Suresh in the battle for the gold in La Nucia. He was one of six boxers sent to the world youth championships under Abap program director Don Abnett and his fellow coaches, Elias Recaido and Elmer Pamisa.

Young flyweight John Wayne Vicera, bantamweight Eljay Pamisa, featherweight John Paul Napales, lightweight Crisaldy Beltran and light welterweight Mark Ashley Fajardo also saw action in La Nucia.