|
CHICAGO,
Illinois—Harry
Tañamor entered the quarterfinals of the International
Amateur Boxing Association World Boxing Championships,
but that’s only a consolation for the Filipino
light-flyweight after he beat Sherali Dostiev of
Tajikistan. His victory Wednesday assured the
29-year-old a slot in the Beijing Olympics next year.
Tañamor
battled to a 4-4 deadlock at the end of the four-round
bout, but the Filipino fighter was adjudged the winner
by virtue of being the aggressive fighter.
Flyweight Violito Payla and lightweight Genebert Basadre,
however, failed in their bids to make the Olympics
outright.
Payla
bowed to hometown bet Rau’shee Warren in a surprisingly
lopsided 25-11 score, while Basadre fell to Armenian
Hrachik Javakyan, 17-6.
Tañamor
whooped it up with coaches Pat Gaspi and Ronald Chavez
following the decision at the University of
Illinois-Chicago Pavilion.
“Dostiev
was looking for the smallest opener to score. He was
very, very cautious and I have to beat him on his own
game. I’m really happy to win this one,” said Tañamor,
who also saw action during the Sydney and Athens Olympic
Games.
Tañamor
guns for a semifinals berth November 1, Thursday versus
Pan-American Games gold medalist Luis Yanez, who earlier
scored a referee-stopped-contest-compulsory count limit
over Australian Stephen Sutherland.
It was
clear right from the opening bell that both boxers were
not in the mood to mix it up. They seized each other all
throughout, with Tañamor throwing the occasional left
straights against Dostiev, who seemed contented in
putting a lot of distance for fear of being hit.
At the
end of the first round, the score stood, 0-0. Tañamor
took the upper hand, 2-1, on two left straights.
Bored
with the lack of action despite an early caution, the
referee decided to penalize both fighters, giving
Tañamor a slim 4-3 lead but a Dostiev right straight
tied the count at 4-4 in the final 33 seconds of play.
Payla
didn’t have a chance against Warren, who became the
first American boxer in 30 years to be able to compete
in two Olympics. Payla trailed, 9-1, at the end of the
second round and was behind, 13-3, halfway through the
match. The sizeable crowd of Filipino fans, however,
booed the judges as Payla took the initiative with his
left crosses but could not score.
“Payla
gave it his best shot. He made scoring punches that
weren’t counted during his comeback” said a disappointed
Gaspi.
Basadre
failed to gain ground against the Armenian, who took
control with an early 9-0 lead.
Payla,
Basadre and bantamweight Joan Tipon are expected to try
to qualify anew for the Olympics in the Asian qualifying
slated January next year in Bangkok, Thailand.
Tishchenko lopsided winner for Russia
Meanwhile, defending light-flyweight champion Zou
Shiming, a bronze medalist at the Athens Olympics,
routed David Ayrapetyan of Russia, 23-6, Wednesday to
reach the quarterfinals of the World Boxing
Championships.
By
making the last eight, the Chinese earned a spot in the
Beijing Olympics in his home country.
It
marked Russia’s first loss at the championships that
started more than a week ago. Russia entered competition
Wednesday with a 22-0 record.
“He was
good, outstanding. I was better,” Zou said through a
translator.
Russia’s
Alexey Tishchenko, the reigning Olympic featherweight
champ, rolled to a lightweight victory over Husnu
Kocabas of the
Netherlands
and will go after another gold medal in Beijing.
With
Tishchenko ahead 25-5, the lopsided contest was stopped
by referee Rogello Fortaleza in the third round.
Tishchenko will meet Pichai Sayota of Thailand, who
advanced with a 21-13 victory over
Mongolia’s
Uranchimeg Munkh-Erdene.
Two
Americans also advanced to the quarterfinals:
light-flyweight Luis Yanez beat Stephen Sutherland of
Australia with the referee stopping the contest in the
second round.
The top
eight finishers in the light-flyweight to
light-heavyweight divisions and the top four from the
heavyweight and super-heavyweight classes qualify for
the Olympics. There also will be two continental
qualifiers early next year, so this is not the last
chance to make the Olympics.
Earlier,
officials announced that heavyweight Ihab al-Matbouli of
Jordan, who collapsed in the ring from fatigue during
one of the final bouts Tuesday night, had rejoined his
team after all tests taken at a Chicago hospital were
negative. |
