2 RP pugs bow out in King’s Cup

BANGKOK — Disaster struck Team Caltex Philippines Wednesday night as Vincent Palicte and Roel Laguna absorbed stinging setbacks in the 24th King’s Cup International Amateur Boxing Championships here.

Palicte bowed to a Russian on points, 9-13, in their flyweight quarterfinals bout while Laguna was turned back by a Pakistani, also on points, in the featherweight division.

The twin losses left only light flyweight Juanito Magliquian in the hunt for the elusive gold medal. Magliquian already assured of a bronze medal, seeks a higher finish when he goes for a finals berth on Friday.

"Sorry, sir, nabigo tayo," lamented head coach Orlando Tacuyan in an overseas call to the amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) office. "Maganda ang naging laban pero talagang magulang yung Russia at inexperienced si Palicte."

Assistant coach Roberto Jalnaiz, however, was fuming mad at the loss of Laguna, who, according to him got the shorter end of the judges’ scoring.

"Yung Pakistani, sampal ang suntok at puro sa gloves ni Laguna tumatama pero binibigyan ng iskor ng mga judges. Pag si Laguna naman ang tumama, walang puntos o kaya ay atrasado ang pindot kaya hindi mag-register," Jalnaiz reported.