Pinoy champs gain boxing semis

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Southeast Asian Games champions Ian Clark Bautista and Eumir Felix Marcial scored lopsided 5-0 victories over untested opponents while fellow former SEAG gold medalist Mario Fernandez knocked out his opponent in the first round in a quick and easy start of their title campaigns in the Southeast Asian Games boxing competitions last night at the Malaysian International Trade and Exhibit Center here.

Ignoring the jeers and boos of a predominantly pro-Malaysian crowd, Bautista completely dominated Kasim with solid right crosses and left hooks and threw solid blows to the body to the defenseless Malaysian to get the nod of all five judges to advance to the semifinals of the flyweight division.

He will next fight the winner in the other quarterfinal bout between Tanes Ongjunta of Thailand and Cambodian Mohamed Hanurdeen Hamid who were still slugging it out at press time.

Marcial, the 2015 SEAG gold medalist in the 69 kg category and now campaigning in the 75 kg (middleweight) class, proved unstoppable in the higher division. He went on the attack right from the opening bell, peppering Vietnamese Nguyen Manh Cuong with head blows, prompting the referee to give a standing 8-count.

He was equally devastating at close range where he connected with over 15 body shots in three rounds of non-stop attack.

He is expected to encounter smooth sailing in the semifinals where he fights the winner between Khtosombath Kalanh of Laos and Richard Oscar Laim of Indonesia.

A win in the semifinals puts him in a possible title clash with Thai Pathomsak Kuttiya, who was fighting in the opposite side of the quarterfinal draw.

Fernandez showed his awesome firepower and wily techniques as defending champion against Myanmar’s Maung Nge whom he challenged in a heavy exchange right at the start.

He erupted with six blows to the head and capped it with a jarring blow to the head that jolted the Burmese.

The referee stepped in to give the standing 10-count to signal the stoppage.

Fernandez’s only conceivable nemesis in the title round is Thai Chuchai Butdee, but before that, he must hurdle Tran Phu Cuong who drew a bye into the semifinals.

The last three of the six-man boxing team of the Alliance of Boxing Associations of the Philippines climb the ring today.

Charly Suarez, who drew a bye in the quarterfinal, is set to fight Khir Akyazlan Azmi of Malaysia in light welterweight semifinal, with a win sending him to the final possibly against Wuttichai Masuk of Thailand.