Suarez lone Pinoy pug standing in Olympic qualifiers

Charly Suarez (60 kg) is the last man standing in the five-man Philippine boxing team taking part in the Asian Olympic Qualifying Event in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Joegin Ladon yielded to Chinese Zhang Jiawei, 13-8, in their 56 kg encounter late Saturday night and followed the likes of Rey Saludar (52 kg), Dennis Galvan (64 kg) and Wilfredo Lopez (69 kg) deep into the abyss.

It was a see-saw battle in the first round for Ladon and Jiawei but the Chinese took command in the second round en route to the victory.

The Astana slugfest is the last tournament that the Philippines can take part in to get into the London Olympics which will come off the wraps in late-July, leaving Suarez as the country’s lone hope in the nine-day event.

Suarez, who beat a Tajik puncher in his first assignment, aims to keep his bid alive when he meets Kyrgyzstan’s Anarbai Uulu on Monday night with the Filipino needing no less than a gold medal to make it to London.

Saludar, Galvan and Lopez were knocked out of the competition in their very first outings, while Ladon was booted out in his second fight after winning his initial bout.

Only light-fly Mark Anthony Barriga is assured of a spot in the Olympics after being towed by his Chinese tormentor during the 2011 world championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.

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