LONDON -- Boxing accounts for eight of the 14 medals won by the Philippines at the Olympics, but there has yet to be a gold. Five of the country's 22 athletes competing in Paris in July and August are boxers, and if one can take the middle spot on the podium, it would not only spark huge national celebration but would also give the sport a boost in the post-Manny Pacquiao era.
Not since 1996 has the Philippines sent such a large boxing delegation to the Olympics and hopes are high that one of the five will be successful.
"There are a lot of expectations as this is one of the most popular sports in the Philippines. We are optimistic; we have a good record in boxing; and we are a nation that loves it," Marcus Jarwin Manalo, executive director of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (APAB), told Nikkei Asia.
A big reason for that passion is Pacquiao, one of the most successful fighters in the sport's history. The legendary "PacMan" won 12 world titles in a stellar professional career that ran from 1995 to 2021. The fighter also became a senator in 2016 and then unsuccessfully ran for president in 2022.
"Boxing was popular before Manny Pacquiao but he took it to a new level, he transcended the sport," said Manalo.
Incredibly, Pacquiao, now 45, tried to make the cut to compete in Paris in what would have been a stunning comeback. He was, however, five years too old to meet the requirements. The APAB was unable to persuade the International Olympic Committee to change the regulations.
While there are still rumors of a comeback from Pacquiao, boxing has missed the box-office presence of the only truly global superstar that the nation of 100 million has produced. Viewing figures are down and more investment from the private sector would be welcome.
"We get most of our financial support from the government and we also have a private sponsor in MVP Sports Foundation, but -- certainly -- winning gold in Paris would make a huge difference at all levels," Manalo said.
When Hidilyn Diaz won the Philippines first-ever gold in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, the nation went wild with delight. The weightlifter received a video call from then-President Rodrigo Duterte as well as around $200,000 in cash. There were a number of endorsement deals, while the Philippines postal service issued a set of stamps in her honor. As she beat China's Liao Qiuyin to take gold, it was even said that it was a symbolic win that showed the country could stand up to its huge Asian neighbor.
Manny "PacMan" Pacquiao, left, lands a punch on Floyd Mayweather Jr. of the U.S. during a 2015 welterweight title fight in Las Vegas. © Reuters In Paris, Carlo Paalam and Eumir Marcial will compete for the men, with Aira Villegas, Nesthy Petecio and Hergie Bacyadan fighting in the women's events. Pre-Olympic preparation saw the boxers arrive in France in June before heading to Germany in July for a three-week training camp.
Paalam and Petecio have been selected as the country's flag bearers for the opening ceremony. The latter took silver in Tokyo and Marcial won bronze. The pair are, according to the APAB, still the best chance of clinching gold this time.
"I will give my all in Paris as this will be my last Olympics," said Marcial. "My motto says, 'The pain of failure is better than the pain of regrets.'"
After Petecio just missed out three years ago, surprisingly losing on points to Japan's Sena Irie, she is determined to go one step further in Paris.
"I'm not getting any younger, but I want to keep going," she said. "In the Olympics, this may really be the last [opportunity]."
There is even more urgency as there is a chance that boxing will not feature at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. In June 2023, the IOC stripped the International Boxing Association of recognition citing a lack of reform in finance, governance and ethical issues. In April, the IOC said a new partner needs to be in place by early next year for boxing to be included at the next Games.
"We don't know what is going to happen in 2028, but now is not the time to think about that," said Manalo. "All our efforts are focused on the next few weeks and making history for the Philippines."
