All 10 boxers are entered in the semifinals, most of them through byes, assuring nine of at least a bronze medal in case of a loss. Nesthy Petecio, who defeated Thai Tassamalee Thongjan in the semis, is the lone finalist of the team so far, already assured of at least a silver medal. However, there were reports the Thai team was protesting the win of Petecio in the semifinal.
Light-flyweight Josie Gabuco, gold medal winner in the pinweight category in the previous SEA Games, starts the Philippine gold medal bid when she faces Laotian Sornka Chantavonsra in today’s semifinal. If she wins, she faces the winner of the Myanmar-Indonesia bout in the other semis duel.
Flyweight Maricris Igam and bantamweight Irish Magno take on Supida Satumrum and Peamwilai Loapeam of Thailand, respectively.
The road to the gold medal may be a lot easier for Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga in the 46-48 category and Wilfredo Lopez in the 75 kg, as Thais were not entered in these events.
Still, it may eventually be a Philippines-Thailand for the gold in the other events where bets from both countries are in separate halves of the draw.
The semifinal draw pits Barriga against a Malaysian or Timor Leste bet; Saludar vs Mg Nge of Myanmar (52 kg), Mario Fernandez vs Tran Quoc Vet of Vietnam (56 kg), Junel Cantancio vs a boxer from either Myanmar or Singapore (60kg), Dennis Galvan vs Ericok Amanopunyo of Indonesia (64 kg) and Wilfredo Lopez vs Alex Tatontos of Indonesia (75 kg).
Under AIBA rules, a country may field only a maximum of 10 players – six men and four women – and boxers now fight without helmets and protective gear.
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