Salazar enters semis; 3 pugs fall

XINJIANG, CHINA–Lhyven Salazar fought off the numbing temperature Thursday and went on to stop his rival and save the day for the RP Team Revicon at the start of its campaign in the 2003 Xinjiang International Boxing Championships here.

Salazar, campaigning in the light flyweight division, stopped Sikymbateb of Kazakhstan in the third round when the referee ruled an outclassed decision (Referee stopped Contest-Outclassed).

The victory sent the Bacolod native to the semifinals for an automatic bronze medal in this annual tournament, which attracted 14 teams from 11 nations.

Salazar’s victory served as a fitting break for the freezing Filipinos, participating in this event for the first time through the support of the Philippine Sports Commission, Pacific Heights, ACCEL and Family Rubbing Alcohol, as three other national team aspirants failed in their own bids.

Lightweight Anthony Igusquiza, light welterweight Florencio Ferrer and welterweight Francis Joven suffered points losses and left only Salazar and four others in the hunt for the medals.

Igusquiza absorbed a 16.7 decision from Japanese Takashi Uchigama, Ferrer took a 12-20 defeat from Jeirmubatu of Beijing, China and Joven was sent to the exit by Chinese national team mainstay Li Yan, 19-13.