S’wak boxers to train in Baguio ahead of Sukma
KUCHING: The Sarawak Amateur Boxing Association (Saba) is set to send 16 of their boxers to train in Baguio City in the Philippines which is a favourite training spot for world’s top martial arts fighters, most notable former world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.
Saba president Dato Rahman Lariwoo said that the shortterm training stint will take place in July as one of their final preparation for the 21st Malaysia Games (Sukma XXI) scheduled for Aug 17 to 24.
“Baguio City is a place frequently used by Manny Pacquiao for his intensive training before professional bouts,” he told Bernama here.
He noted that Pacquiao, who retired in 2021, is considered as one of the world’s best boxers, having won 12 titles across eight different weight classes since starting his professional career in 1995.
“In addition to Baguio City, these Sarawak Sukma boxers will also travel to southern Thailand and Kalimantan, Indonesia, where they will train alongside local boxers,” he said.
The Sarawak Sukma boxing squad, consisting of 12 male and four female boxers, will also participate in the third edition of the Sarawak Open Championships to be held here from May 6 to 10.
Rahman said that over 150 boxers from Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei have confirmed their participation in the championships, which has been organised annually by Saba since 2022.
“We are still awaiting confirmation of participation from several other countries such as Thailand and the Philippines, and we expect more boxers to compete,” he said.
For Sukma XXI, the Sarawak boxing team aim to secure six gold medals and emerge as champions in the event, and Rahman believes this mission can be achieved with the full support of boxing enthusiasts in the state.
“We feel more prepared to face challenges from other teams such as those from Penang, Negeri Sembilan, and Johor this year... especially since Sarawak are the hosts this year,” he said. — Bernama