Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian Boxing Federation (PTM) has set a target of at least one gold medal and two national boxers advancing to the final stage at the SEA Games 2025 in Thailand, scheduled to be held from Dec 9-20. Its president, Datuk Mohamad Iruan Zulkefli, said the national boxing squad, which will consist of six athletes and three coaches, is expected to strike a single gold, an achievement last recorded in the 2017 edition here eight years ago.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the boxers preparing for the biennial games are also showing progress. 'Preparations are going well, and we hope to have the good fortune to win a gold medal. The target is that we want two of our athletes to reach the final and land at least one gold. 'For the SEA Games in Thailand, we see Thailand as the main contender. The Philippines are also strong but several other countries are on the rise, like Vietnam and Indonesia,' he said when contacted by Bernama.

Vietnam and Indonesia cannot be taken lightly, as both countries have the services of former Thai boxing squad coaches to improve their athletes, said Mohamad Iruan. He added that PTM plans to send the national boxers to several international tournaments before undergoing the final phase of training in Kazakhstan.

PTM is also in discussions to hold a four-cornered tournament involving Malaysia, Singapore, and two other countries, which will be finalized in the near future. 'We also have a tournament in India in November, but we are looking into whether it is suitable or not because it will take place close to the SEA Games date,' he added.

At the SEA Games 2023 in Cambodia, the national boxing camp won three bronze medals, contributed by Muhd ??Abdul Qaiyum Ariffin in the 51 kilogramme (kg) flyweight, Mohd Ridzuan Johari (lightweight 60kg), and Indran Rama Khrisnan in the 86kg cruiserweight. Malaysia's last gold medal in boxing, which also ended an eight-year drought, came at the 2017 SEA Games from Muhammad Fuad Redzuan in the light flyweight (49kg).