Suarez third RP fighter to fall

CHICAGO, Illinois — Featherweight Charly Suarez joined the growing list of Filipino casualties as he lost to Mongolian Enkhzorig Zorigtbaatar, 10-13, Wednesday in the International Amateur Boxing Association World Boxing Championships at the University of Illinois-Chicago Pavilion here.

Suarez thus joined bantamweight Joan Tipon and light welterweight Delfin Boholst, who lost their respective bouts at the start of the slugfest last Tuesday.

Four more from the original seven-man RP PLDT-Smart boxing team try to pursue the country’s bid for berths in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Flyweight Violito Payla starts his campaign against Welshman Andrew Selby Thursday while lightweight Genebert Basadre and welterweight Wilfredo Lopez will also try to save the Philippine campaign when they trade punches with separate foes in the evening session.

Basadre tackles Bulgarian-pride Ognyan Kolev, while Lopez tests Velibor Vidic.

Veteran Harry Tañamor drew a bye in the light-flyweight class and will meet another Welshman, Nasir Mohammed, on Oct. 28.

“Charly fought well despite being a first-timer in the Worlds, but the Mongolian fought excellently,” said national head coach Pat Gaspi.

The Philippines started its bid in the biggest gathering of amateur boxers in history on a sorry note Tuesday as Tipon and Boholst lost badly against their respective foes.

“I gave it all but my opponent was very slippery,’’ said a teary-eyed Suarez, who is three inches shorter than the 5-foot-9 Zorigtbaatar.

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of. Charly gave it his best shot,’’ said Philippine Sports Commission chair William Ramirez, who for the second straight day led a handful of Filipino fans in cheering for the Nationals.