Filipino boxers begin SEA Games campaign

BAC NINH City, Vietnam— Tokyo Olympics women’s boxing silver medalist Nesthy Petecio stakes her mettle against Myanmar’s Kay Thwe in the 31st Southeast Asian Games on Wednesday at the Bac Ninh Stadium.

A victory by Petecio will assure her of a bronze medal that could turn into gold and cement her stature as the best female featherweight in the region.

Her fellow Olympian Eumir Felix Marcial, who owns a bronze from Tokyo last year, drew a bye on Wednesday and will only fight in Thursday’s quarterfinals against the winner between Peerapat Yeasungnoen of Thailand and Bui Phuoc Tung of Vietnam.

The other Tokyo Olympian, Irish Magno, will collide against Indonesia’s Novita Sinadia on Friday in a women’s flyweight semifinals fight, while Marjon Piañar, who also drew a bye, will fight in Friday’s semifinals in men’s welterweight against either Sarohatua Lumbantobing of Indonesia or Cambodia’s Vy Sophors.

“We are going to do our very best to match our last SEA Games performance three years ago, that’s what we prepared for,” Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines training director Don Abnett said.

Filipino boxers won seven gold, three silver and two bronze medals in the Philippines 2019 Games.

Marcial, meanwhile, has gotten his skill set back to Olympic boxing following his successful fight as a pro in the US earlier this year.

“I’m focusing on my fights for now,” said the 26-year-old Marcial, who has dominated the middleweight class in the Games since 2015 in Singapore.

Abnett, however, warned Marcial on Yeasungnoen, the 2018 International Boxing Association Youth World Championship bronze medalist, saying the 19-year-old Thai can pull off an upset.

“Anything can happen here,” Abnett said. “That Thai boy is very dangerous, but Eumir is training very nicely and he’s fit.”

Ian Clark Bautista battled Mohammad Hanurdeen Bin in men’s featherweight quarterfinals and James Palicte faced Vietnamese Vu Thanh Dat in men’s lightweight preliminaries late Monday.

On Tuesday, Thai Open champion Rogen Ladon faces Malaysia’s Muhammad Abdul Qaiyum in a men’s flyweight quarterfinals clash.

Josie Gabuco will defend her title in the semifinal phase of women’s flyweight when she clashes with Thai Chuthamat Raksat on Thursday and Riza Pasuit meets Vietnamese Vuong Thi Vy also in a semifinal lightweight bout.