Jordan boxers ready for Asian Games medal hunt

AMMAN — With one month to go, Jordan’s top boxers have declared themselves fit and ready for an assault on the medals at the 18th Asian Games being held in Indonesia from August 18 until September 3, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service.

The team departed this week for a training camp in Ukraine until July 22 with Ziad Ishaish, Obadah Al Kesbeh and Mohammad Al Wadi all looking in great shape.

There was some bad news for Jordan though with the super heavyweight category dropped from the final programme, meaning that Olympian, Hussein Ishaish, will not be competing.

However, the team is confident and head coach Azeddine Aggoune pointed out the importance of the Ukraine camp before competing in southeast Asia.

“We started our training programme for Indonesia a long time ago by competing in various international championships, and we also held a camp in Cuba,” he said.

“The Asian Games attracts some of the best fighters in the world so we can expect the highest calibre of opponents over there. This means we need to prepare as if it is a World Championships or an Olympics and Ukraine should give us that sharper edge.”

Aggoune was ringside when Hussein Ishaish and Al Kesbeh competed at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro two years ago, and he believes that his current crop can add to the four medals already won by Jordanian boxers at the Asian Games since 1998.

Mohammad Abu Khadejah won Jordan’s first, bronze 20 years ago, while, at Incheon 2014, Udai Hindawi won silver and Ihab Darweesh and Kesbeh took bronze medals.