Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino welcomed the Ronel Suyom — a potential “next big thing” of Philippine boxing.
“It’s a great showing by a 17-year-old boxer from the South and we’re hoping he can be our next Olympian in the future,” said Tolentino of Suyom, who paid the POC chief a courtesy call at the Knights Templar Ridge Hotel in Tagaytay City.
Suyom, a prized find from Agusan del Norte, proudly wore on his neck the silver medal he clinched in the minimumweight class in the World Youth Championships in La Nucia, Spain.
“He can do a lot better as his training and competitions go by,” Tolentino said.
“I wish him luck and encourage him to prepare himself as the next big thing in amateur boxing.”
Suyom is tipped to follow the careers of silver medalists Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio and bronze medalist Eumir Felix Marcial from last year’s Tokyo Olympics.
Interestingly, Paalam and Petecio also validated their medals in Tokyo. Paalam won a bantamweight gold and Petecio a featherweight bronze at the Asian championships in Amman, Jordan, a month ago.
“Congratulations to ABAP (Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines) for developing a boxer like Suyom, who is expected to win medals for our country in years to come,” Tolentino said.
“I am hoping they will find more boxing talents.”
Suyom yielded to India’s Vishvanath Suresh in the battle for the gold in La Nucia. He was one of six boxers sent to the world youth championships, who were coached by ABAP program director Don Abnett, Elias Recaido and Elmer Pamisa.
Aside from Suyom, flyweight John Wayne Vicera, bantamweight Eljay Pamisa, featherweight John Paul Napales, lightweight Crisaldy Beltran and light welterweight Mark Ashley Fajardo also saw action in La Nucia.
