By HENRY MORABANG
THE onus is on individual boxers to fight hard qualify for the Beijing Olympic Games in August.
PNG Boxing Union president Lohial Nuau issued the challenge on the eve of the departure of three PNG boxers Jack Willie, Francis Oaike and Eugene Keto for the Queensland Invitational fight in Brisbane, Australia.
The three boxers left yesterday for the fight.
Nuau who returned from the first AIBA executive meeting for 2008 in Busan, South Korea, on Wednesday said PNGABU only ask the boxers to discipline and commit themselves in their training.
“The days for joy ride are over and boxers will have to work to keep their spot, otherwise, his executive would not hesitate to axe them from the training squad or the team,” he warned.
Nuau said the Brisbane fight is part of the preparation for the Olympic qualifier to be staged in Apia, Samoa, on April 21-25.
He said PNG must qualify three boxers at least after the Apia qualifier. PNG is pinning his hope on Jack Willie (48kg) and Francis Oaike (51kg) who were the current Oceania champions in their respective divisions.
According to AIBA, the gold medal winner for respective division automatically qualifies for the spot in the Olympic Games in Beijing.
After the Queensland Game, Thailand Boxing Federation has offered PNG trio four weeks training prior to the Olympic Games.
Nuau said the coach plus the three boxers will be based in Thailand before heading to the Beijing Games.
“If PNGABU executive work hard to secure such incentives, the boxers must commit themselves to their training,” he said.
PNGABU secretary John Avira and veteran Dick Larry are confident that Oaike and Willie will qualify for the Olympics.