Mindoro admits learning subtleties between amateur, pro boxing in botched SEA Games gold bid

Weljon Mindoro (left) and Eumir Marcial (right)

(Philstar.com / Ralph Villanueva)

MANILA, Philippines — In his first foray in the amateur ranks during the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, Weljon Mindoro’s undefeated professional record immediately flung him to talks of a gold medal in the biennial event.

However, the boxer out of Zamboanga suffered a setback in the Thailand Games, bagging a bronze medal after bowing out of the semifinal round of the event.

On Saturday, Mindoro said that while he had a lot of struggles in the lead-up to the SEA Games – both in preparation and the length of amateur fights – he aims to be more prepared for possible national team stints in the future.

“Professional ako. Iba yung amateur, iba yung professional. Kasi sa professional kasi, pahabaan ng round. Kung pwede ka matalo sa first three rounds, pwede ka makabawi sa pahabaan,” he told reporters at the sidelines of a press conference Saturday in Paranaque City

“Sa professional, hangin. Pwede ka makabawi sa [latter rounds], pero kasi sa amateur, puntusan lang. Takbo-takbo, puntusan lang. Yan lang ang tinitignan ng mga judges,” he added.

It was a lesson he learned the hard way, as he lost at the hands of the lightning-quick Vietnamese opponent Phuoc Tung Bui.

“Yung adjustment ko na kailangan ko gumalaw nang mabilis, needed. Kailangan yung bilis. Pero parang hindi ko nagawa yung bilis na pasuntok, kasi nanggigigil din ako,” he said.

But aside from the adjustments inside the ring, there is also the adjustment in the preparations.

He had to lose 20 kilograms in a month, he said, as he weighed in at about 95 kilograms before the SEA Games.

“Yung pag-lose weight ko, talagang malaki yung effect ko sa akin kasi, one month lang… Pero, after two weeks, nasa 78 [kilograms] na ako. Tapos, yun lang, in-steady ko rin yung 78. Tapos, after five days na lang, binanatan ko na lang yung tatlo. Pero, ganoon pa din,” he said.

“Sinasanay ko yung katawan, parang hindi talaga naka-recover. Kung siguro, two months ako, two months yun, kapag naghanda akong two months, tapos babawas ako kahit 10 kilos lang yun, baka sigurado ako mga, ano talaga, yung one hundred percent talaga yung condition ko doon.”

But now that he knows what it takes to prepare in the amateurs, Mindoro vowed to prepare better when the next opportunity comes.

“Kung kukunin ako sa national team, na lalaban sa Asian games, ready ako na lumaban. Talagang pagsisikapan ko na manalo sa Asian games, kung bibigyan ako ng opportunity na makalaban ulit sa Asian games,” he said.

The 2026 Asian Games will be held from September to October of this year in Japan.

“Sa tingin ko, oo [mas prepared na ako moving forward] handa na handa na talaga ako ngayon. Kasi, nakaranan na ako ng amateur. Nakalaban na ako sa SEA Games, talagang makakapag-adjust na ako dun kung kukunin na ako.”

Mindoro bared that he could still fight professionally later this year ahead of the Asian Games.

He is expected to be the main event of a Eumir Marcial-promoted boxing event in Zamboanga City next month.

“Talagang malaking tulong sa akin [yung disappointment sa SEA Games]. Big learning sa akin para magsikap pa ako lalo, para ma-improve pa yung skills ko.”