Perfect romp by 4 Pinoys in semifinals

KAUNAS, Lithuania – Caltex Team Philippines scored crashing victories over the rising stars of Europe and sent four boxers into the gold medal round of the Algirdas Socikas International Boxing Championships here Friday.

Harry Tanamor, the 2002 world championship bronze medalist and gold medal winner in the Azerbaijan tournament last month, showed championship class anew as he clobbered Frenchman Redouane Asloum without letup for a 24-6 rout in the lightflyweight semifinals.

Violito Payla, 21-year-old Army man from Cagayan de Oro City and the other gold medal winner in Azerbaijan, demonstrated his mastery of the flyweight class by stopping Latvia’s Samoilavs Jevgenis in a referee-stopped contest (RES-Outclassed), 1:10 into the second round with the score reading 17-2.

Lightweight Anthony Igusquiza, native son of Malinao, Aklan, made a big follow-up to his win via RSC-Retired decision in the quarterfinals with a convincing victory over Evgeni Mytsov of the dreaded Team A of Russia, 23-14.

The fourth semifinal win came from lightwelterweight Romeo Brin, at 28 the oldest in the team, who dominated the bout against Guido Ringmann of Germany from start to finish for a 20-12 triumph.

The four-for-four feat impressed no less than Manny Lopez, president of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines, who congratulated each of his charges and gave out incentives as he urged them to go for the gold for the nation’s flag.

"Out of the six boxers, four made it to the finals – that’s not bad," said Lopez. "To be in the finals of this big tournament which has gathered emerging stars from Europe is a feat in itself."

The only casualties on the six-man RP team, whose participation here is sponsored by Caltex Philippines and supported by the Philippines Sports Commission, Pacific Heights and Revicon, are bantamweight Vincent Palicte, who lost to a Lithuanian, and featherweight Roel Laguna who bowed to a Russian, in the quarterfinals.

"Maganda na ang ipinakikita ng mga bata. Hindi basta basta ang mga kalaban dito — mga Germans, Russians and Bulgarians. So far, so good," said national coach Nolito "Boy" Velasco, who is assisted by former national boxer Pat Gaspi.

Velasco, however, warned his wards that they should not be overconfident although they are the heavy favorites to win the crown in at least two divisions in Saturday’s finals, since they are fighting on unfamiliar turf.

Tanamor, the only world class boxer here, will face hometown hero Rialdas Skerlo in the first bout of the finals.

Payla will meet another Lithuanian, Ian Stapovic, who topped Dydi Anton of Slovakia. Brin is also pitted against a Lithuanian, Darius Marciukaitis, while Igusquiza trades blows with tough Latvian boxer Ahmetovs Adrejs.