Barriga stuns Russian to advance to quarters

MANILA, Philippines - Giant-killer Mark Anthony Barriga of Panabo, Davao del Norte, moved within a win of clinching a sure bronze medal by outpointing Russia’s Nikita Fedorchenko for his third straight victory at the 16th World Youth Amateur Boxing Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, last Thursday.

Barriga, 17, was scheduled to face Ireland’s Ryan Burnett in the lightflyweight quarterfinals yesterday with the result still not available at presstime. If Barriga hurdles Burnett, he will advance to tomorrow’s semifinals against the winner of the bout between Cuba’s Yosvany Veita Soto and Australia’s Jackson Woods.

No other Filipino has won in Baku as Barriga’s four teammates were booted out of contention in their first fights. Falling by the wayside were featherweight Nathaniel Montealto, bantamweight Ricky Dulay, flyweight Jenno Cabugngan and lightweight Michael Delorino.

Montealto lost a 7-2 verdict to Nigeria’s Tosin Kazeem Oliwo. Dulay was trounced, 16-4, by Patrik Velky of the Czech Republic. Cabugngan was outclassed, 11-5, by Korea’s Hong Min and Delorino was stopped by Egypt’s Walid Said Mohamed Sedik Mohamed after trailing, 9-0, in the first round.

“Mark’s diminutive but he’s the most talented and most cunning in the team,” said ABAP executive director Ed Picson who flew to Baku for the delegation managers’ meeting last Sunday and returned to Manila last Tuesday to arrange the five-day coaching workshop with USA Boxing high performance director Patrick Borkowski in Baguio on May 4-8. “If it comes down to talent, skill and will to win, then Mark stands a good chance of qualifying. That kid is feisty, quick and smart. He’s also the team clown but I guess in Baku, nobody’s laughing.”

Barriga has emerged as the tournament’s Wonder Boy, posting upsets over China’s Zhang Liang, 7-3, Thailand’s Tanes Ongjunta, 15-5, and Fedorchenko to surge a win away from gaining a sure ticket to the Youth Olympics in Singapore on Aug. 14-26.

Barriga was particularly impressive in ousting the much taller Fedorchenko. They battled to a scoreless draw in the first round then Barriga poured it on in the second, flooring the Russian en route to erecting a 2-1 lead. In the third round, Barriga picked up another point while blanking Fedorchenko to seal the deal.

Coach Elmer Pamisa, who worked Barriga’s corner with Sonny Dollente, said it wasn’t easy bringing down Fedorchenko whose reach advantage was daunting.

“We figured out a way to get inside the Russian’s defense,” said Pamisa. “Mark was too quick for Fedorchenko who’s tough to beat when fighting from long range. It was low-scoring because we wanted Mark to pick his spots. Now, Mark is one win away from a guaranteed bronze and he has a good chance against Burnett.”

Pamisa said he had the jitters when Barriga battled Fedorchenko. “I wasn’t as nervous when Mark fought China and Thailand because the Russian was really tough,” he said. “If Mark beats Burnett, he’ll likely go up against Cuba in the semis. I think Mark can go all the way.”

Only eight contenders are left standing in the 48-kilogram division. They are Barriga, Burnett, Soto, Woods, Bulgaria’s Vadzim Kirylenka, Azerbaijan’s Salma Alizada, Mauritius’ Mohamed Hamout and Uzbekistan’s Zohidjon Hoorboyev.

Burnett, who turns 18 next month, arranged the meeting with Barriga after crushing Colombia’s Rober Barrera Estrada, 16-4, last Thursday. He had previously beaten Germany’s Erik Sokolov, 4-0, and Italy’s Manuel Cappai, 3-1.

Looming as the gold medal favorite is Soto who was untouchable in registering three wins so far. He blanked Algeria’s Faheem Hemmachi, 5-0, stopped Peru’s Ignacio Paredes after a 3-0 lead in the second round and wiped out Japan’s Naoya Inoue, 11-0.

If Barriga beats Burnett, the Philippines will eclipse the 3-5, win-loss record the national team compiled two years ago in Guadalajara.

Travel problems caused by the volcanic eruption in Iceland brought down the expected number of participants from 532 to 486 in Baku. But the AIBA (International Boxing Association) said the conclave got together the largest gathering of countries since the biennial Youth competition was launched as the World Cadet Championships in Yokohama in 1979.