Phl fighters sweep 3 opening bouts

SUBIC, Philippines – The PLDT-ABAP national team went three-of-three but in varying fashions as it opened its campaign in the ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships at the Subic gym yesterday.

Flyweight Ian Clark Bautista flirted with disaster before escaping with victory via countback in his 52kg bout with India’s Kavinder Bisht.

The score was 10-all at the end of three rounds with Bautista actually trailing, 10-9, before staggering his opponent with a counterpunching right cross in the closing seconds to force the countback.

Bautista prevailed in the individual score of the five judges, 33-30.

National coach Romeo Brin said Bautista’s youth and inexperience nearly got the better of him. 

“He’s still feeling his way through in this kind of field that’s why he had the tendency to be careless. But he’ll settle down in his next fights,” said Brin in Filipino.

Lightweight James Palicte, meanwhile, used a strong start to beat Japan’s Yuuta Akiyama, 11-9, while world Youth champion Eumir Felix Marcial stopped Turkmenistan’s Shamurat Cherkezov in 2:02 of the second round in their 64kg light welterweight clash.

Two other Filipino boxers – Jonas Bacho (56kgs/bantamweight) and world Junior bronze medalist Jade Bornea (49kgs/light flyweight) – drew opening day byes and will see action today. Bacho faces Sri Lanka’s Ruchira Gunasena, while Bornea meets Uzbekistan’s Murodjon Akhmadaliev.