THANYABURI, Thailand – Naitala ng Philippine boxing team ang perpektong 6-of-6 sa first round ng prestihiyosong King’s Cup Boxing Championship nitong Martes ng gabi sa Queen Sirikit Sports Complex sa Thanyaburi District, Pathum Thani Province.
Ipinahayag ng Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) na pawang impresibo ang resulta nang laban ng Pinoy fighter, tampok ang 3-1 desisyon na panalo ni Joel Bacho kontra World Series of Boxing (WSB) at AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) veteran Arisnoidys Despaigne ng powerhouse Cuba.
Liyamado si Despaigne, silver medalist sa 2013 World Championships, ngunit matikas na nakihamok si Bacho upang makuha ang panalo at makaigpaw sa welterweight (69 kilos) division na iniwan ni Eumir Felix Marcial, ang 2015 SEA Games gold medalist.
Sasabak si Marcial sa unang pagkakataon bilang middleweight (75 kilos) fighter at hindi niya binigo ang sambayanan sa impresibong technical knockout (TKO) panalo kontra Ren Umemura ng Japan. Mabilis na ipinatigil ng referee ang laban sa final canto matapos paliguan ng kombinasyon ni Marcial ang karibal.
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"Joel used his head. Cuban coach Enrique Steiner came over to congratulate us and concede that they were unprepared for a much-improved Bacho. I think Joel's time has come,” pahayag ni PH head coach Pat Gaspi.
Namalagi ng ilang taon sa bansa si Steiner bilang ABAP coaching consultant noong 2009.
Nailista rin ni James Palicte ang TKO victory kontra Patrick McLaughlin ng Australia, habang naitarak nina Carlo Paalam , Ian Clark Bautista at Mario Fernandez ang dominanteng 5-0 desisyon kontra kina Australian Alex Winwood, Korean Juhyeon Chloe at Indian’s Hassam Uddin Mohammed, ayon sa pagkakasunod.
"This is an excellent start, a perfect 6-0. But you must always be on your toes, there are bigger tasks ahead. I will constantly be praying for our boxers' safety and success", pahayag ni ABAP President Ricky Vargas, ayon kay ABAP Secretary-general Ed Picson.
“I would like to thank Chairman Butch Ramirez of the Philippine Sports Commission for his all-out support for the team,” aniya.
May kabuuang 107 boxers mula sa 18 bansa ang sumabak sa 10 weight categories tournament kung saan liyamadong maghari ang Cuba, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia at host Thailand.
