Brin, Igusquiza join Lerios in finals

SANTANDER, Spain - Two more Filipino pugs - Romeo Brin and Anthony Igusquiza - broke into the finals of their respective classes with convincing wins over their highly-fancied rivals Thursday night in the Boxam International boxing championships here.

Fighting in the heavier 67-kg division, Brin, an Armyman, showed ring savvy in upstaging the tough-looking Daniyar Munaitbasiov of Kazakhsztan, 4-2.

And Igusquiza, pride of Aklan, completed a remarkable day for Team Caltex Philippines as he claimed the scalp of another Kazakh fighter - Beksat Sattarkhanov, 5-4, in the 54 kg class.

With the twin wins, the Philippines, supported by Adidas, Pacific Heights and the Philippine Sports Commission, will aim for four gold medals in Saturday finals at the La Albericia Pavillion.

Last Wednesday, brothers Danny (48kg) and Arlan Lerio (51kg) have made it to the finals via overpowering wins.

"This is my birthday gift to my wife Ofelia," said a winning Brin, who baffled the taller Kazakh with his stick-and-jab game. He will compete in the 63.5 division in Sydney's Millennial Games.

Igusquiza, son of a hairdresser, was equally impressive as he engaged Sattarkhanov in vicious infighting, forcing mandatory eight count in the third when his booming right straight to the face dazed the Kazakh.

"I know I can beat him. We're all equal atop the ring," said the 24-year-old Igusquiza, a bronze medalist in the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games.

Spanish hero Rafael Lozano attacked relentlessly to beat Portugal's Hugo Cardinal, 8-3, and will dispute the gold with Danny Lerio. Arlan tackles Frenchman Zavier Noel in the finals. The rapid-punching Noel battered Tunisia's Brahin Ayari in the semifinals.

Igusquiza slugs it out with power-punching Zico Sassi of Tunisia, who outboxed Spain's Juan Gomez, 9-5, Wednesday night.