Philippines made a fantastic performance with four gold medals at the Boxam Tournament
The Boxam Elite Tournament has just finished in the city of La Nucia at the Alicante region where team Philippines made a strong impact on the international event. Four of their boxers including three girls claimed gold medals in the Boxam Elite Tournament.
Altogether 208 boxers competed from 30 countries in this impressive Boxam Tournament from four Confederations. Philippines is one of the nine Asian nations in the international event and the country proved its potential despite the Olympic bronze medallist Eumir Felix Marcial and the Asian runner-up John Nobel Marvin missed the competition.
Aira Villegas not only marched to the finals of the light flyweight (50kg) but she won a tactical battle for the title against a two-time World Champion Kazakh, Nazym Kyzaibay. Following two equal rounds in the final, Villegas received the right instructions in the corner from Mr. Don Abnett and her fantastic third round delivered for the first Filipino gold medal in the Boxam Tournament.
One of the most exciting female finals was held at the women’s featherweight (57kg) where two Asian stars faced for the gold medal. Chinese Taipei’s two-time World Champion Huang Hsiao Wen competed this weight class in the Boxam Tournament and she used her longer hands well enough against Philippines’ Nesthy Petecio in the final. The Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Filipina was never stopped attacking in the final and the judges favoured her on the scorecards.
Philippines’ ASBC Asian Grand Slam winner Hergie Bacyadan returned to the national team after a short break and her heavy combinations decided her middleweight (75kg) final against Kazakhstan’s young Gulsaya Yerzhan. Bacyadan earned Philippines’ third female gold medal in the competition and she proved that she has huge potential to win an Olympic spot in the next Qualifier.
Rogen Ladon, their former World bronze medallist, used all of his routine to beat Mexico’s teenager Ari Bonilla in the semi-finals and joined the finals of the men’s flyweight (51kg). The 30-year-old Filipino walked over to the gold medal of the weight class following Hungary’s Istvan Szaka was unable to box in the day of the finals.
Team Philippines will stay in the Spanish Training Camp in Benidorm-La Nucia until the start of the 1st World Olympic Boxing Qualifying Event.
Don’t forget you can keep up with all of the action, news, results and photos by following ASBC on Facebook and Instagram.
ASBC website: www.asbcnews.org
ASBC Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ASBC.Boxing/
ASBC Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/asbc_official/
ASBC Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/BoxingAsian?s=08