Maamo drops Chinese; two Philippines pugs fall

MANILA, Philippines - Flyweight Dannel Maamo repulsed Chinese Chang Yong to save the day for Team ABAP in the ASBC Asian Elite Championships at the Uzbekistan National Sports Complex in Tashkent, Uzbekistan Tuesday.

Maamo, 20, used a combination of punches while eluding Chinese attack with superb footwork to advance to the quarterfinals of the 52kg class.

A clash of heads actually resulted in a cut above the Chinese’s right eyebrow with the Iranian referee stopping the fight on advice of the ringside physician in the second round.?The decision went to the scorecards, which found Maamo the winner.

But two seeded Pinoy bets suffered stinging losses and bowed out of the competition.?First day winner James Palicte dropped a unanimous decision to No. 2 Elnur Abduraimov of Uzbekistan in lightweight while welter Joel Bacho, who also hurdled his rival in the opening day, bowed to Iranian Sajjad Kazemzadeposhtiri, who won by the sheer volume of punches he threw from different directions.

Meanwhile, 2016 Olympian Rogen Ladon suits up against Hussein Al Maori of Syria, Eumir Felix Marcial faces Uzbekistan’s Israil Madrimov in the Wednesday afternoon quarterfinal schedule.

Maamo will clash with Sri Lankan Seneviratne Bandara.?Losers in the quarters will box-off for the last two slots for the World Championships in Hamburg, Germany in August. All four semifinalists qualify for the August championships.?