Two of the Philippines’ Olympic medalists in boxing are one win away from the Asian Games podium.
Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam fight in the quarterfinals of the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Monday, Sept. 28, and both face opponents from China.
A win in the quarterfinals guarantees a bronze medal, Tempo reported.
Petecio’s Last Missing Medal
Petecio, 34, will face China’s Yang Chengyu in the women’s 60kg quarterfinals at the Nishio City General Gymnasium, Tempo (Manila Bulletin) reported.
The boxer from Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, has won silver at the Tokyo Olympics and bronze at the Paris Olympics.
An Asian Games medal is the only one missing from her trophy collection, according to Tempo.
The report added that she knows her career is nearing its end.
She got there with an emphatic win.
On Saturday, Sept. 26, Petecio stopped Jordan’s Mays Alreem Abukhadijah in the second round, SunStar Davao reported.
Referee Lukman Wekadapola stopped the fight at 1:51 of Round 2 after Petecio scored two knockdowns. She had already won the first round 10-9 on the judges’ cards.
“Unang laban, Salamat, Lord. Three more to go,” Petecio wrote on Facebook afterward, according to SunStar.
“Maraming salamat sa lahat ng nagdasal at patuloy na sumusuporta sa akin at sa buong Team Philippines.”
Tempo noted that she is fighting at lightweight (60kg), which is not her natural division; she usually competes at featherweight (57kg).
Paalam’s Comeback
Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Carlo Paalam will fight China’s Jiamao Zhang in the men’s 55kg quarterfinals, Tempo reported.
The Cagayan de Oro City native is returning from a year-long injury layoff.
He reached the quarters with a 3-0 win over India’s Jadumani Singh Mandengbam, although he had to fend off a furious comeback from the Indian boxer, according to Tempo.
“It’s Going to Be Tough”
The head of the Amateur Boxing Alliance of the Philippines (ABAP), identified by Tempo as Manalo, told fans not to expect too much.
He said both boxers are ready but face stern tests.
“It’s going to be tough on their way to the medal round,” he said, according to Tempo.
The stakes are high because the Philippines is still looking for its first boxing medal of these Games.
Junmilardo Ogayre, the third Filipino boxer in the last eight, lost his men’s 60kg quarterfinal on Sunday to Uzbekistan’s reigning Olympic champion, Abdumalik Khalokov, Tiebreaker Times reported.
