2 pugs get bronze; Igusquiza robbed

SEREMBAN, Malaysia – Team Caltex had its biggest day here Saturday as three RP fighters put on a spectacular show but poor officiating spoiled what could have been a perfect round for the Filipinos in the 21st Asian Amateur Boxing Championships.

Light flyweight Lhyven Salazar and bantamweight Ferdie Gamo scored contrasting wins to move into the quarterfinals where they are assured of bronze medals.

But lightweight Anthony Igusquiza, after the best fight of his life where he clearly beat Olympic gold medalist Somluck Kamsing, was robbed of a win and a sure medal by the judges that voted for the shamed Thai legend.

After a tentative first round, Igusquiza came out sharp and strong starting the second, then chased and mauled Kamsing until the final bell to turn the bout into a mismatch.

But, as it would turn out, all Kamsing had to do was stay on his feet in order to be declared winner.

Kamsing, 29, winner of Thailand’s first Olympic gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, later apologized to Igusquiza and Filipino team officials on the bus back to the hotel for the dubious result.

"This is clear highway robbery," groaned Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines president Manny Lopez. "But what can we do? The Thais are very influential with the powers-that-be."

In an explosive charge into the medal round, Salazar, son of a sidewalk vendor from Bacolod City, retired Kin Un Chol of North Korea who was automatically counted out after the Filipino sensation amassed a whopping 15-point margin midway in the third round.

Gamo, for his part, relied on a solid punching show in the third round, then held off a desperate rally by Iran’s Akhbar Ahadi to score a slim 18-17 points win.