Tanamor boxing’s last ace

BUSAN — Team Caltex is running out of gas.

Lightweight Anthony Igusquiza and middleweight Maraon Goles both failed to go the distance Wednesday and kissed their medal hopes goodbye in the 14th Asian Games here.

Fighting in the quarterfinal round and hoping for at least a bronze, the two Filipino fighters were simply outpunched, outclassed and overpowered by their respective opponents as they joined five other teammates in the sidelines at the Masan Gymnasium.

Harry Tanamor, the lightest member of Team Caltex, was the only one left to carry the heaviest load, reaching the semifinal round of the lightfly division and assuring himself of the bronze with a 21-11 victory over 2002 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Ali Qamar of India the other day.

"Wala. Talo talaga," said RP coach Nolito Velasco.

Igusquiza, a 20-14 winner over Syria’s Hamidi Yousef last Monday, failed to put up a fight against Uzbekistan’s Mahmodov Dishov with the fight being stopped in the 1:19 mark of the third round due to the 15-point rule. The final score was 29-14 (referee stopped contest-outclassed).

"Maganda naman sana ang simula ni Anthony pero biglang nanggigil. Parang gusto tapusin agad ang laban," added Velasco.

Goles, for his part, ran smack into a perfect right straight-left cross combination by Pakistan’s Ahmedali Khan, went down on the canvas, and tried very hard to get up before wobbling in front of the referee and into his corner.

The end came with only 10 seconds left in the opening round and the Pakistani up on points, 9-4. Goles has a good start, leading 4-2, mainly behind his left straights which looked lethal at the start. But he didn’t last long.

"Nagbaba kasi ng kamay noong magkadikitan sila ng kalaban. Nasingitan tuloy," said Velasco, elder brother of 1996 Atlanta Olympics silver medalist Mansueto Velasco.

Tanamor, in his first Asian Games, will vie for a finals slot and an automatic silver against 1998 Bangkok Asian Games gold medalist Suban Pannon of Thailand on Saturday.

The first five casualties from team Caltex were flyweight Violito Payla, bantam Ferdi Gamo, feather Roel Laguna, lightwelter Romeo Brin and lightmiddle Chris Camat. "Hindi na bale. Iaahon natin si Harry hanggang sa dulo," Velasco said.