Mark Barriga will be out for a significant amount of time.
Alliances of Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) executive director Ed Picson broke the news in the weekly PSA Forum on Tuesday as the 2014 Incheon Asian Games bronze medalist will be out of action for at least three months after injuring his right hand during training.
“Ooperahan yung kanang kamay nya kasi lumubog yung knuckle nya sa maliit na daliri,” said Picson.
Barriga has already been left out of the Southeast Asian Games boxing lineup after he and fellow boxer Charly Suarez were tapped by AIBA, the international boxing federation, to participate in the ABP World Series of Boxing, them from joining sub-continental tournaments like the SEA Games.
The 21-year-old, though, expressed his intention to compete in the upcoming tournaments despite of his injury, something which Picson shut down immediately.
“He wants to fight. Pwede naman, pero bibigyan ka ba ng medical clearance?,” he said, as Barriga is set to undergo a hand surgery under the supervision of Dr. Tacata.
Picson, though, expects the Davaoeno to make it to the training camps for tournaments in the final quarter of 2015.
“Hopefully, makaabot sya Olympic qualifiers sa October, Asian qualifying, at ABP World Series of Boxing (WSB) qualifiers,” the boxing executive said.
