Pinoy pugs make quarterfinals in Asian Boxing Championships

MANILA, Philippines – Ramel Macado dominated Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Muhammad Fuad Bin Mohd Redzuan of Malaysia, 5-0, to advance to the quarterfinals of the light flyweight division in one of three Philippine victories on Black Saturday in the Asian Boxing Championships in Bangkok, Thailand.

The 23-year-old Koronadal City bet overpowered Fuad from start to finish to register his second straight win after overwhelming Iranian Ahmadisafa Omid, 4-1, the day before in this event that drew 313 boxers from 34 nations in the region.

Macado will thus face the winner between Kazakhstan’s Temirtas Zhussupov and Thailand’s Samak Saehan in the quarters Monday.

Ian Clark Bautista, a gold medalist in the 2018 Feliks Stamm tournament in Warsaw, Poland, also advanced to the quarters after smashing Vietnam’s Nguyen Van Gioi, 5-0, in their bantamweight duel.

Josie Gabuco, for her part, had a walkover victory after opponent Tandin Lhamo of Bhutan was disqualified for failure to show her medical book to likewise barge into the women’s quarters in the flyweight class.

Gabuco, a World Championship gold medal winner and many-time SEAG champion, will tackle either Kazakh Alua Balkibekova or Korean Bak Chorong in the quarters.

Jeorge Eduma couldn’t overcome his height disadvantage and absorbed a heartbreaking 2-3 defeat to Turkmenistan’s Hursand Imankuliyev, who is taller by five inches, in their lightweight showdown.

The team’s trip is being bankrolled by the Philippine Sports Commission.