MABF to use Sea Games as punching bag for Birmingham

THE Malaysia Amateur Boxing Federation (MABF) are using this year’s Vietnam Sea Games to prepare their boxers for next year’s Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

MABF president Datuk Mohamad Iruan Zulkefli plans to field younger blood at the biennial games for exposure in the build-up to the Birmingham assignment.

He said head coach Rustam Saidov wants his charges to train in Uzbekistan ahead of the Sea Games.

“By exposing our up-and-coming boxers in the Sea Games, they will be better prepared for the Commonwealth Games.

“We have four boxers above 23 years old. There will be six categories at the Sea Games,” said Iruan.

“The issue now is we cannot hold any competitions yet to test the boxers. However, we can see a massive difference in them in training, thanks to Saidov.

“The athletes are improving and adding new dimensions into their boxing, and this is very good.”

“We hope to send our boxers to Uzbekistan for training once the Covid-19 situation improves.

“We will probably hold two stints. The first from May to June and the second from September to October.

“The stints will help our athletes to learn from Uzbekistan's world-class boxers.

“We hope to see our boxers make the semi-finals in Vietnam. We have identified four boxers who can make an impact in the Sea Games.”

At the 2017 Kuala Lumpur Sea Games, Malaysian boxers delivered one gold, one silver and one bronze, but at the last edition in the Philippines, the team won only three bronze medals.

Iruan said the gap between the nations in Southeast Asia is not too far off, and if the national boxers give their full commitment, they can stun heavyweights Philippines and Thailand.

“We have to remember that a coach can only work for four hours in training with the athletes. It's up to the athletes to keep their discipline off training,” he added.