Philippines Boxers Eye First Asian Games Gold Since 2010

The Philippines boxing team is preparing for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya with a singular mission: end a gold medal drought that stretches back to 2010.

Filipino boxers have claimed 15 of the country's 71 all-time Asian Games golds, but the last came when Rey Saludar won the 52kg division in Guangzhou, China, according to ESPN. Sixteen years without a title represents the longest dry spell for a boxing programme that once dominated Southeast Asian competition.

What Ending The Drought Means For Philippine Boxing

Boxing remains the Philippines' most reliable pathway to regional glory, accounting for more than one in five of the nation's Asian Games golds across all sports. The 2026 squad will carry that legacy into Japan against a field that has grown deeper with Chinese and Uzbek boxers sweeping podiums in recent cycles.

The team's preparations have centred on closing the technical gap with Central Asian programmes, which have invested heavily in coaching infrastructure since the last Philippine gold. Selection for the Aichi-Nagoya roster is expected to be finalised in the first quarter of 2026.

Reported via:

• ESPN Boxing — Asian Games: Philippine boxers looking to end gold medal drought