Analysis: Nothing spices up a boxing match more than history and bad blood...and the match between Thailand's Saylom Ardee and our very own Junel Cantancio had more than its share of bad blood and history. 2 years ago, when last they met, Ardee came away with the gold medal while Cantancio settled for the silver. Now, this bout was premature in that these two bitter foes were meeting at the semifinal stage instead of the gold medal match...but the stakes are much higher as the loser not only forgoes the gold medal but even the silver. So this match had the frenetic urgency that only desperate men can summon...and summon it they did. This was a fight that had long toe-to-toe exchanges mixed in with several takedowns (yes, for a round or so, it looked like a UFC fight instead of a boxing match) and the odd cheap shots thrown in for good measure. At the end of the day, Cantancio won but only by split decision, one that I actually agreed with. Cantancio did not win convincingly but Ardee was also the biggest stumbling block in Cantancio's quest for gold and getting past him was a great achievement by itself. Of course, now, Cantancio has no excuses not to win the gold medal.
Congratulations Junel Cantancio!
Video courtesy of Singapore Sports via Youtube.
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