PALICTE IN SMASHING WIN IN CHINA, HEARTBREAK IN BANGKOK
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 07 Apr 2010
Bantamweight prospect Aston Francis Palicte scored a smashing win in the inaugural China Open boxing tournament in Guiyang, Guizhou Province scoring a third round stoppage over Hong Kong?s Cho Cheng Yu on Wednesday, assuring himself of at least a bronze medal in the high-powered event approved by the International Amateur Boxing Association or AIBA.
The end came at 1:37 of the 3rd round after the jury rang the bell as the Filipino mauled his hapless opponent scoring four standing eight counts. Palicte scored the first standing eight count in the opening round followed by two more in the second and another one in the third.
When the one-sided bout was waved off Palicte was way ahead, 21-4.
The victory by the 19 year old Palicte was an impressive follow-up to Tuesday?s win by Laos Southeast Asian Games gold medal winner Charly Suarez who entered the quarterfinals with a solid 9-5 victory over rugged Syrian Chaman Weesap.
In Bangkok however, it was a day of heartbreaks for the RP-Smart boxing team as light-flyweight Crisanto Godaren and flyweight Victorio Saludar suffered contrasting defeats against their opponents from perennial rivals Thailand?s "A" team in the semifinals of the annual 32nd King's Cup.
Godaren lost to Thai Kaoe Prongprayoon by referee-stopped contest after he was the victim of a heavy-handed low blow in the last minute of the third round and failed to beat the count of the Hungarian referee who simply refused to concede that the punch was a low blow.
"It was very clear that a low blow hit our boxer, but the Hungarian ref saw it otherwise," said head of delegation and Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines Vice President Manny Lopez. Kaoe is the same boxer who beat Harry Tanamor in the last Sea Games in Vientianne, Laos.
Saludar on the other hand gamely fought veteran Thai Amnat Ruengroeng and finished the bout, 3-3.
Saludar, however, lost 10-11 following the count-back. Amnat was a quarterfinalist in the Milan World Championships and Beijing Olympics.
With the twin losses, the three-man RP-Smart team funded by Pacific Heights ended its campaign with two bronzes in the 17-nation tournament.
Lopez said "This is relatively a good performance by a young and inexperienced team. This is the kind of exposure that we wanted to give these first timers." Thailand, as expected, sent 6 boxers to the finals while Russia had 4. The Nederlands, Korea and Qatar had 1 finalist each in the hunt for 9 gold medals. Earlier, featherweight Jhergigs Chavez suffered a 3-4 loss to Korean Jo-min Jae in the quarterfinals.
In the China Open the PLDT-RP boxing team ably supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine Sports Commission is also guaranteed another bronze medal courtesy of light flyweight Gerson Nietes who drew a bye and will see action Friday against tough Idyaz Sulay-Minov of Kazakhstan in a semifinal tussle.
Suarez and young prospects Rey Saludar and Wilfredo Lopez are in for tough bouts Thursday as they battle illustrious foes in their quest for supremacy in this AIBA-ranking event.
Saludar, a bronze medalist in last year?s SEA Games will clash with 2008 Olympic light flyweight champion Zou Shimming in a flyweight showdown while Lopez will battle Mutaz Don Duk of Jordan in a welterweight quarterfinal match.
Head coach Nolito Velasco downplayed the obvious advantage in experience of the 28-year-old Zou as modification in rules and the possible age factor will give the Filipino fighter a decent chance of at least giving the local hero a tough fight.
Velasco pointed out that under the new guidelines a boxer is "immediately warned for running and if Zou engages Saludar the boy has a chance because he punches really hard. Besides, Zou is not that fast."
Suarez who is regarded as a potential Olympic medallist eyes another guaranteed medal for the Philippine team when he meets European circuit veteran Dmitry Polyansky of Russia in a quarterfinal bout that is expected to be an action-filled encounter that is expected to test the mettle of the Filipino fighter.
Polyansky was a silver medallist in the tough AIBA President?s Cup last year held in Baku, Azerbaijan where the Russian impressed aficionados with his highly-accurate body punching.
The 22 year old Suarez is expected to bank on his hand-speed and conditioning as well as his vast experience against Polyansky as he saw action in back-to-back world championships in Chicago and Miland.
Suarez said he had improved with every international tournament and "as long as the scoring is fair, I am confident of winning."
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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