World ringfest: Barriga heads PH bets

LONDON Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga will spearhead the Philippine campaign in the 2013 Aiba World Boxing Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Ed Picson, the Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines executive director, yesterday said they also tapped flyweight Roldan Boncales Jr., bantam Mario Fernandez, lightweight Junel Cantancio and light welter Dennis Galvan for the Oct. 14 to 26 meet.

Picson said Asian Games gold medalist Rey Saludar and World Series of Boxing mainstay Charly Suarez were supposed to join the team but both suffered shoulder injuries that sidelined them indefinitely.

Saludar tore a muscle recently during a three-week training camp in Guangzhou, China, while Suarez suffered the same fate in the World Series of Boxing held in Italy.

“We have very good substitutes for them. Our boxers went through a process the past few months and these are the names that came up,” said Picson, who graced the PSA Forum at Shakey’s Malate with national coach Pat Gaspi.