ONLY two Filipino fighters are seeing action in the final Olympic qualifying tournament as Mario Fernandez pulled out from the lineup due to cataract in his left eye.
Flyweight Ian Clark Bautista and welterweight Eumir Felix Marcial seek to clinch berths in the Rio Games through the tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan starting on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Fernandez, a bronze medalist in the 2014 Asian Games, will undergo more tests.
Bautista and Marcial, set to leave on Tuesday, are looking to join light flyweight Rogen Ladon and lightweight Charly Suarez, who have qualified for the Rio Games through the Asia/Oceania Olympic Qualifying Tournament in China.
Fernandez also saw action in the China qualifiers two months ago, but wound up fourth as the top three in the division earned slots to Rio.
Fernandez first complained of double vision while training in Baguio last week and was diagnosed with cataract in his left eye.
“It was Mario himself who decided he could not concentrate fully with the thought of his eye condition in the back of his mind,” said Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines executive director Ed Picson.
“Although it is not life-threatening nor a serious condition, this is boxing and the cause of the condition was trauma so we didn't want to take the risk. We would rather he continue with the tests and treatment the doctors have lined up for him and hopefully he can fully recover and fight another day.”
Source: Spin.ph
