Ian Clark Bautista successfully defended his throne in the men’s under-57 kg category, delivering the Philippines’ first gold in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games boxing competitions.
The event took place on Saturday at the Chong Charvay Convention Center in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The 28-year-old pugilist from Binalbagan, Negros Occidental secured the country’s 32nd gold medal in what is anticipated to be a weekend of gold rush.
Bautista achieved a unanimous decision victory over Indonesia’s Asri Udin with a score of 5-0.
Bautista displayed dominance throughout the match, earning a solid unanimous victory in the semifinals against Myanmar’s Naing Latt, which led him to claim his third SEA Games gold.
Meanwhile, Rogen Ladon ended with the silver after losing via a unanimous decision against Thailand’s Thanarat Saengphet in the men’s flyweight category.
Irish Magno and Riza Pasuit also ended with the silvers in the women’s lightweight and the women’s light welterweight, respectively, after absorbing getting outclassed by their opponents.
Thailand’s Jutamas Jittpong remained the bane on Magno’s shoulder, while Vietnam’s Ha Thi Linh outclassed Pasuit in the final.
Jittpong also defeated Magno in the Tokyo Olympics.
Tokyo Olympics silver medalists Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio will pace the charge for the Philippine boxing team on Sunday who will try to add to the golden haul.
Joining the Olympians are Paul Bascon, John Marvin, and Norlan Petecio, who will also punch for gold.
