Payla concedes to Uzbek rival

ATHENS (Via Globe Telecom) – The Filipino boxers campaign for an Olympic medal hit another snag Tuesday night when flyweight Violito Payla was outclassed and overwhelmed by Uzbekistan’s Tulashboy Doniyorov at the Peristeri boxing hall.

The brilliance of his two victories over the scrappy Uzbek youth was no where to be found as the Filipino fighter started out tentative and sluggish, suffered a knockdown on the second round, came back on the third but was simply outfought in the end.

The 23-year old Russian born Doniyorov went on to post a 36-26 triumph and avenged his two earlier losses to Payla in the Busan Asian Games and in the semifinals of the Asian qualifier in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

That futher depleted the rank of the Filipino boxers who have been tapped as Olympic medal potential in the Athens Games.

Lightflyweight Harry Tañamor, long ceded as one of the fancied fighters to advance to the medal bouts, will open his campaign late Wednesday night when he fights Tajikistan’s Sherali Dostiev.

Light middleweight Romeo Brin hopes to follow up his impressive debut over Sweden’s Patrick Bogere when he slugs it out with regional rival Manus Boonjumnong of Thailand Thursday.

The tall Doniyorov dictated the tempo of the match early on to chalk up a 6-4 lead in the first round. He kept the initiative in the second round for a 15-10 margin when he tagged Payla with a crisp uppercut after a close exchange in the last 16 seconds of the round.

The 25-year old Payla took the blow on a crouch, staggered backward and went sprawling to the canvass. He stood up near the ropes and Cuban referee Fernando Pedroso stepped in to give him the eight-count and the Uzbek finished the rounds raining the Filipino with blows for 18-10.

Sensing his Olympic bid slipping away, Payla came out full of fight in the third and put the pressures on Doniyorov to narrow the gap at 23-28, scoring clean blows with his rights.

But that was the best Payla, who won the bronze in the Usti Nad Labbem tournament in the Czech Republic before coming here, could dish out as Doniyorov coasted to the one-sided victory at 36-26.

"Naunahan sa strategy. Nakalamang ang kalaban sa score kaya naghabol tayo ng naghabol. You can’t fight that way," said former Manila mayor Mel Lopez, the boxing team’s leader.

It was a disappointing night for Team RP whose officials led by chef de mission Steve Hontiveros, Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit, PSC chair Eric Buhain and wife Batangas congresswoman Eillen Ermita Buhain, POC secretary general Romeo Ribano watched and cheered Payla on.

"You win some, you lose some. Lumaban naman nang husto tayo and there’s nothing to be ashamed about," said Dayrit, who earlier led the same group to render moral support to archer Jasmin Figueroa at the Panathinaiko Stadium.

With Payla gone, the rank of Filipino athletes is fast depleting when ranged against the world best. Swimmer Miguel Mendoza will complete his stint when he goes into action in the 1,500 meters. Long jumper Lerma Gabito vies in the athletics on Aug. 25 while taekwondo jins Donald Geisler, Tshomlee Go and Maria Antoinette Rivera cast their bid on Aug. 26-28.

Hanoi Southeast Asian Games gold medallist Eduardo Buenavista will end the RP campaign in the marathon in the final day, the event starting on the historic Marathon.