Phl pugs post 2 wins, 2 losses

MANILA, Philippines - The PLDT-ABAP national team pulled off two victories but dropped two matches in the second day of action in the 21st President’s Cup International Boxing Championship at the Senayan Indoor Stadium in Jakarta Monday.

Nico Magliquian, 18, made full use of his long reach and aggressive stance to dominate 23-year-old Mohammad Solihin Nordin of Singapore, 26-4, in the 56kg division while Nathaniel Montealto, 19, thwarted Malaysia’s Khir Anyazlan in an exciting duel that with the Palawan native posting a 14-8 victory on the strength of clearer and more telling blows in the 64kg category.

Two others, however, failed by the wayside with Edilio Abrea of Southern Leyte dropping an 11-16 decision to Ajmal Faisal of Afghanistan in the 52kg class and Mico Brina losing to European champion Alexander Klinkov of Russia via an RSC (referee-stopped-contest) in the 69kg division.

Brina, the 19-year-old son of retired police officer from Surigao, held his own in the early going but took a wicked left from the 24-year-old Klinkov, sending the Fil-Am bet down. The referee immediately stopped the fight.

The two-win, two-loss record came after the Philippines swept its first three matches Sunday with Josie Gabuco scoring in the ladies 48kg class, Analisa Cruz winning in the ladies 51kg category and Ian Clark Bautista besting his rival in the men’s 49kg category of the event which attracted 28 teams from 26 countries with the hosts fielding in three squads.

Bautista, 16, tries to stay in the hunt in a tough assignment against Alexander Samoylov, the 24-year-old Russian who fell to ABAP boxer Gerson Nietes in 2009 in the King’s Cup in Bangkok, at resumption of action Tuesday.

Samoylov won the 2010 European Boxing Cup in the Ukraine.

Magliquian also resumes his bid as he takes on Nguyen Van Hai of Vietnam while Montealto battles local bet Denny Hutasoit.

Team captain Charly Suarez, meanwhile, opens his stint against Kenji Fujita of Japan in the 60kg division while Nesthy Petecio collides with Mongolia’s Shinetsetseg Davaasuren in the 54kg category.