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By Krista M. Montealegre TMTC
DOHA Asian Games light flyweight
gold medalist Violito Payla will not see action in the second and
final Asian Olympic boxing qualifier slated March 16 to 24 in Astana,
Kazakhstan.
Dr. Raul Canlas, chief of the
Philippine Center for Sports Medicine, said on Thursday that
Payla’s injury needs more time to heal.
Payla, strong contender for an
Olympic slot, sustained a partial, torn rotator cap in his left
shoulder while training in Baguio City.
“It is physically impossible to
rehabilitate Payla in two weeks’ time, in time for the
qualifier,” said Canlas in a letter addressed to Manny Lopez,
Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) president.
“He will be able to resume gym work after one month.”
ABAP officials said they will
continue to support the 29-year-old Payla until he is fit enough to
rejoin the training pool.
Payla, who hails from Cagayan de
Oro City, failed to secure an Olympic berth in the 2007
International Boxing Association World Boxing Championships in
Illinois last November and the first Asian Olympic qualifying in
Thailand two months ago.
Payla was successful in his first
two bouts before losing to Rau’shee Warren, 15-25, in Chicago. He
was eliminated by Yunusiv Anvar of Tajikistan in Bangkok.
In spite of Payla’s injury,
ABAP remains confident that the country will be able to send more
boxers to Beijing after the Kazakhstan qualifying. “We continue to
hold high hopes that our team will carry the flag proudly in
Kazakhstan,” ABAP officials said.
Meanwhile, ABAP secretary general
Roger Fortaleza said the national team coaching staff headed by
Cuban Juan Enrique Steyners-Tissert will announce on Friday the
boxers going to Kazakhstan.
“It’s too bad that Payla will
not be able to compete in Kazakhstan,” said Fortaleza.
“But we are not going to take
chances about his condition. We have to follow the advice of Dr.
Canlas.”
ABAP is eyeing five boxers to
join the Kazakhstan trip.
“All our boxers are in good
condition because of the expertise of Steyners-Tissert,” Fortaleza
said. “Although he is a junior compared to [Raul] Liranza, he’s
good in handling our team.”
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