Tañamor battles for another gold

SEVILLE, Spain — Harry Tañamor has beaten Bulgarian Salim Salimov before, and he hopes to do it again Saturday to give RP Revicon a gold medal in the Boxam Tournament here.

"Kailangan lang ingat para di masilat," said the 24-year-old Tañamor, a private first class in the Philippine Army who’s gunning for his third international crown.

The 5-foot-5 Tañamor, who won the lightfly silver in the Busan Asian Games last year, stopped Salimov in the second round en route to an RSC (referee-stopped contest) in last year’s 48 kg final of the Acropolis Cup in Athens. His other victory on foreign soil came during the Prof. Chowdry Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan, also last year.

Pat Gaspi, a former RP boxer who heads the coaching staff here, is confident that Tañamor can go all the way in this 11-nation tournament.

Gaspi’s main concern, though, is the cut above the right eye of Tañamor sustained during his silver medal finish in the seventh A. Socikas Cup in Lithuania last week.

"Dapat huwag matamaan o ma-headbutt," said Gaspi, an Armyman being assisted here by Alex Arroyo, a former SEA Games gold medalist now enlisted with the Philippine National Police.

After a one-hour road work Friday, Tañamor sparred with teammate Jenebert Basadre who was asked by the coaching staff to emulate Salimov’s fighting stance.

"He moved well today unlike yesterday when he was a little sluggish," said Arroyo.

Manny Lopez, president of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines, is confident that Tañamor would deliver. "We need a clear victory," he said.

RP Revicon is also being supported by Pacific Heights and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Bulgaria sent a total of seven boxers into the finals followed by France with four and South Korea with three. Mexico, Spain and Scotland had two each.