Ladon susuntok ng ginto laban sa Uzbekistan pug

JAKARTA — May pag-asa ang Pilipinas na ma­nalo ng gold medal sa boxing penultimate day ng 18th Asian Games dito.

Nakasiguro ng silver medal ang Olympian na si Rogen Ladon matapos ang madaling panalo kontra kay Yutapong Tongdee ng Thailand via unanimous de­cision, 5-0, sa men’s flyweight 52kgs.

Natapos ang laban na sugat ang ilong ni Ladon at muling bumuka ang sugat sa kanang kilay gayunpaman, determinado pa rin ang 22-gulang na Pinoy.

“Kaya ‘yan, matigas mukha natin eh,” sabi ng 2015 Asian Championships silver medalist.

Nakatakdang sagupain ni Ladon si Jasurbek Latipov ng Uzbekistan, ang two-time World Championships silver medalist, sa finals ngayong alas-2:15 ng hapon (3:15 p.m. Manila time).

“We are very happy, although he has wound in his nose and his eyebrows opened up again,” he will be ready for the finals,” pahayag ni POC president Ricky Vargas na pinuno rin ng Alliance of Boxing Associations in the Philippines.

“The Uzbek is a fighter, too. But he can’t take Ro­­gen for granted,” sabi naman ni ABAP secretary-general Ed Picson. “Rogen is more determined. And he promised all of us to get the gold.”

Ang iba pang miyembro ng boxing team ay sina Irish Magno Nesthy Petecio, Joel Bacho, Mario Fernandez at James Palicte.

Samantala, natalo naman si Carlo Paalam kay Amit ng India via split decision sa kanilang quarterfinals match sa men’s light flyweight 49 kgs. division.

Nakakuha si Paalam, nakuntento sa bronze me­dal, ng mga iskor na 29-28 at 29-28 mula sa dalawang judges, habang humugot si Amit ng 30-27, 29-28 at 29-28 iskor para umabante sa gold medal round.

Lalabanan naman ni Pinoy fighter Eumir Felix Marcial sa men’s middleweight 75kgs. category si Is­rail Madrimov ng Uzbekistan.