Thailand aim to win three berths for the 2018 Youth Olympics at the ASBC Asian Youth Confederation Boxing Championships, which begins today in Bangkok.
A total of 35 nations -- including Thailand, China, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Bhutan and Iraq -- will be competing in the tournament at Indoor Stadium, Hua Mark.
There are 10 divisions each in the men's and women's competitions.
The event serves as Asia's qualifying round for the 2018 Youth Olympics to be held in Argentina in October.
Nine Olympic spots are on offer in the men's categories and only four for the women pugilists.
Following yesterday's draw, four out of seven Thai men and three out of five Thai women received a first-round bye.
Thailand coaches said they were pleased with the draw and expressed optimism that their fighters would meet the target of winning three tickets to Argentina.
Thong Taweekoon, coach of the Thai men's squad, said he was confident that his boxers would be successful.
"This is the best youth team I have ever trained," he said.
"They have trained together for a long time. Everybody is fit and has stamina. I am confident that we will win at least two Olympic berths.
"I can't say who will go to the Olympics. But our boxers can fight anyone because they were well-prepared for the tournament."
Among Thailand's best hopes in the men's event are light-welterweight Bannapol Bannon, son of former national team fighter Suban, and middleweight Veerapol Jongjohor, son of 2008 Olympic champion Somjit.
Juan Fontanils, coach of the Thai women's team, said his boxers were ready for the tournament.
"We don't have weight problems. Our boxers have big hearts and can fight anyone in Asia or even in the world," said the Cuban, who has guided three Thai men to Olympic gold medals in the past.
"We aim to win at least one Olympic spot."
Thailand's best bet is Kittiya Namprai in the 51kg division.
Thailand Boxing Association president Pichai Chunhavajira will preside over the opening ceremony at 1.30pm and action begins at 2pm.
The tournament ends next Friday.
Age no barrier
Philippine boxing legend Manny Pacquiao insisted yesterday that his advancing years were no barrier to success as he gears up for a showdown against world champion Lucas Matthysse.
Pacquiao, 39, will fight the Argentine -- four years his junior -- for the World Boxing Association welterweight belt on July 15 in Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur.
The Filipino has won an unprecedented eight world titles in different weight classes but some have raised questions about his ability to box at the top of his game due to his age.
But at a joint press conference with Matthysse in Kuala Lumpur, he dismissed such concerns.
"It's not about a number, it's not about age, that doesn't matter," he said. "It depends how you discipline yourself in training, how you prepare."
Pacquiao said that the fight against Matthysse would not be his last, as he wants the final bout of his career to take place in his homeland.
"Definitely this is not my last fight," he said. bangkok post/afp
