Three top RP fighters fall

BELFAST, Ireland – Disaster struck Team Caltex Philippines on Tuesday when three of its stalwarts suffered heartbreaking losses in the World Amateur Boxing Championships here at the Odyssey Arena.

Lightweight Anthony Igusquiza, appearing in his first round bout, absorbed a 16-27 drubbing from veteran Olympian George Lungu of Romania in the lightweight division (60 kg.) after which Violito Payla lost a 15-14 decision to Germany’s Vardan Zakarjan in the flyweight division where Olympic gold medalist Maikro Romero of Cuba absorbed a similar one-point loss to Volodymyr Sydorenko of Ukraine, 20-21.

And to complete the Nationals’ humiliation for the day, Suriel Rotas of the Dominican Republic bumped off Team Caltex Philippines’ best bet, Arlan Lerio, 14-10, in the flyweight class.

The three losses left only Harry Tañamor to continue the bid for a first-ever World Championship gold medal for the Philippines.

Tañamor, who drew a bye in the preliminaries, fights South Korean Lee Kyung Yeh on Wednesday (Thursday morning in Manila) in the 19-man light flyweight category where the Filipino needs to win at least two bouts to gain a medal.

"This is really a sad day for us. All the losses were heartbreaking ones. Violito (Payla) fought the German with a sore left shoulder sustained while training this morning. Anthony (Igusquiza) and Arlan (Lerio) gave their best shot but their opponents were really good," said delegation head and boxing chief Manny Lopez.

"However, the losses certainly gave our boxers some new lessons and experience. Now, we only have Harry (Tañamor) to carry on the fight for the Philippines," Lopez added.

The four-man squad, sent here by Caltex Phils., Philippine Sports Commission, Pacific Heights and Adidas Phils. to augment the Filipinos’ training for the coming Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia this September, were trying to at least duplicate the silver medal finish of Roel Velasco in Budapest, Hungary in 1999.