Payla overcomes Cuban

LA LISA, Cuba — Flyweight Violito Payla, fast turning out to be the biggest surprise package of Team Caltex Philippines here, outclassed Cuban Yumarqui Aguilar, 4-1, in their semifinal clash Monday to join light flyweight Danilo Lerio in the finals of the seventh Balado Cup boxing tournament at the La Vereda Plaza.

The 22-year-old Armyman from Cagayan de Oro, who won bronze medal in the Cordova Cardin slugfest last week in Havana, used his vaunted jab-straight combinations to cut his taller rival down to size as the Filipino fighter gained a crack at the gold medal in his first international stint.

Payla, a lefty whose superb boxing skills were first noticed during the National Open in Kidapawan City in 1997, will shoot for the gold at the close of the six-nation tournament Tuesday as he goes up against Rodolfo Perez, another Cuban fighter. Perez beat Puerto Rico’s Juan Lopez, 5-0, in the other semis match of the 51 kg. class.

Payla’s victory made up for the 1-4 defeat of lightwelterweight Romeo Brin to Cuba’s Wisney Aldazabal Monday. But more importantly, it gave Team Caltex, also supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Pacific Heights and Adidas, two cracks at the gold in the event where it won a silver and two bronze medals last year.

Lerio, a 20-year-old Navyman and veteran of last year’s Sydney Olympics, barged into the finals of the 48-kg class by beating Cuba’s Barbaro Gonzalez, 4-1, last Sunday.

But Lerio will face another Cuban in the finals as he clashes with 1997 World Youth champion Andy Lafita, a 3-2 winner over compatriot Ivan Perez in the semis.

Brin gave up a four-inch height advantage to Aldazabal and had difficult time connecting with his punches, his solid left straights and right crosses hardly reaching their target. With the setback, Brin settled for bronze along with the other Lerio — bantamweight Arlan — who lost to local bet Lester Diaz, 1-4, Sunday.

"Whatever happens in the finals, our boxers surely made their presence felt in Cuba. But we’re still praying and hoping for the best here at home that Danilo and Violito will go all the way and win the gold medals," said RP amateur boxing head Manny Lopez in a message to the team being handled by coaches Gregorio Caliwan, Nolito Velasco and Alex Arroyo along with veteran AIBA referee/judge Darcito Teodoro.

The members of Team Caltex, who are using this Cuban swing as part of their training and selection process for the Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian Games in September, head for home Wednesday via Havana-London-Hong Kong.