SINGAPORE SEA GAMES: It's Raining Gold For Boxing!
5 gold medals, 3 silvers. That is our medal haul, after the smoke cleared in the gold medal matches of the SEA Games.
The gold winners included Josie Gabuco, Ian Clark Bautista, Mario Fernandez, Junel Cantancio, and Eumir Marcial while our silver medalists were Nesthy Petecio, Irish Magno and Rogen Ladon.
Analysis to some key fights after the jump.
Josie Gabuco was one of my three picks for the surest bets for gold and she did not disappoint. She was scintillating in this win, which was no mean feat, as her Thai opponent was an excellent counterpuncher. Gabuco used her speed advantage to come in close and get off her jab and right straight off then pedal back before her opponent could react. She more than made up for the losses of Petecio and Magno, making sure one of our women boxers came home with gold.
Mario Fernandez went up against a very technically sound Thai fighter Tanes Ongjunta and he was very lucky to have come away with the win, despite knocking down the Thai fighter twice. In the early rounds, Fernandez showed the Thai boxer his power, catching him with a powerful left hook after being cornered. Ongjunta shook it off and proceeded to rock Fernandez with two equally big shots in the same round. The main difference? Fernandez didn't go down. Ongjunta proceeded to pepper Fernandez again and again, connecting more often and with more precision. But Fernandez has the granite jaw and kept on taking it. Finally, he managed to catch Ongjunta again with 30seconds gone in the third round. Ongjunta was dazed and the referee stopped the fight. Had Fernandez not knocked out Ongjunta, I have no doubt the Thai would have won the fight on points.
My, how much the Pinoy wonderboy of boxing has grown. Eumir Marcial though still just 19 years, is already a giant among welterweights, imposing his will with fury and technique that belied his age.
It was a no contest from the start, as Marcial was clearly the superior fighter. The Singaporean bet, Jia Wei Tay, fought with the determination and intensity of a fighter with his nation behind him but marcial would not be denied. A left straight late in the 2nd round sealed the deal for Marcial and the Philippines had its 5th gold from boxing.
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