Gabuco, Petecio hurdle China Open rivals

MANILA, Philippines - Team PLDT-ABAP split its first four assignments in China Open Tuesday as Josie Gabuco and Nesthy Petecio trounced their respective rivals to make up for the twin setbacks of their men’s counterparts at the Guizhou gym in Guiyang, China Tuesday.

Gabuco, the reigning world champion in the lightweight category, used lightning quick moves and stinging combinations to score a unanimous win over Russian Zoia Isaeva in their flyweight clash under the new AIBA rule.

Meanwhile, AIBA now uses the three-judge, 10-point must system, similar to the professional scoring method.

The win lined up Gabuco against fancied Ren Cancan of China, silver medalist in the London Olympics and a three-time world champion, tomorrow. But the Filipina bet, who is also giving up about six inches in height, is undaunted, vowing to give the 27-year old Chinese policewoman “something to think about.”

Petecio also won a unanimous decision over a body-punching Suvd Erdene Ouyngerel of Mongolia. The dusky Davaoeña however, connected with crisp left hooks and right crosses to clinch the victory.

But Roldan Boncales Jr. bowed to Chang Yong of China, the silver medalist to Rey Saludar in the 2010 Asian Games, in the 52kg division. This was only the Misamis Oriental native’s second international stint, the first one was in January this year at the Kuala Lumpur City Cup where he won gold and was voted the tournament’s “Most Promising Boxer”.

But Boncales opted to slug it out with Chang in several fierce exchanges with the latter, egged on by the wild cheers of the crowd, proved to be wily and slick and eventually earned the decision.

2011 SEA Games gold medalist Dennis Galvan also succumbed to another Chinese bet, Fu Kaisheng, who employed a stick and run tactic that frustrated the Negros Occidental native, who also went down via unanimous decision.

Five Filipinos, handled by coaches Pat Gaspi, Roel Velasco and Elias Recaido Jr., were to see action Wednesday, including Gabuco and Petecio, who will take on another Chinese in Liu Chang.

London Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga debuts against Naveen Kumar of India, while Nico Magliquian also has an Indian opponent, Ajay Kumar  in their 56 kg. bantamweight tiff.

Junel Cantancio meets Mauritian Colin John in the lightweight division.

Eight countries are entered in the annual event, including two teams from host China. The others are Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Mauritius and New Zealand.

Newly re-elected ABAP president Ricky Vargas sent the team a message of encouragement by email on the eve of the tournament even as executive director Ed Picson cautioned that this is only the first big tournament for the team this year.

“We will find out here at what stage our boxers are in our preparations for the World Championships in October and the SEA Games in December. Then there is the Asian Elite Men’s Championships in Amman, Jordan first week of July”, said Picson.