Pugs endure injuries, eye finals

HO CHI MINH (Via Globe Telecom) — Unknown to the opposition and probably to most members of the Philippine contingent here, Filipino pugs Juanito Magliquian and Chris Camat fought their way to semifinal round of their respective categories Wednesday both with an injured hand.

And Magliquian (45kg) and Camat (75kg) seek to buck their injuries again as they return to the ring for a shot at the gold medal fight at the Phan Dinh Phung Sports Center tonight.

"Parehong silang may sprained wrist and both have been undergoing therapy," RP medical team physical therapist Arturo Lazaro told The STAR.

Magliquian and Camat disposed of their respective quarterfinal-round rivals both via a stoppage despite the injury Wednesday, sending the RP boxing campaign to a flying start.

Magliquian, gold medalist in the Brunei Games, sent Brunei’s Mohd Ali Dzulfikri Hj Mohd Taib twice to the canvas and scored a first-round RSC-O victory. Camat duplicated Magliquian’s feat by halting hometown bet Bui Phu Sau in the second round.

Magliquian and Camat hardly took a sweat in their fights that their coaches called them to work on the punch mitts and the punching bag for extra work in a nearby gym later on.

Magliquian, the 30-year-old veteran campaigner from Talisay, Negros Occidental, goes for a final stint versus Vietnamese Le Van Tri. Camat, on the other hand, takes a shot at the title bout versus Thai reigning champion Somchaui Chimlum.

"Mabigat ang laban ni Camat sa Thai. Si Magliquian, mabigat ang laban sa judges. Dapat pasuntukin niya iyung Vietnamese sa hangin," said RP coach Pat Gaspi.

The known practice of boxing judges favoring hometown bets reared its ugly head in Le Van Tri’s victory over Cambodia’s Ven Dyaman. The Vietnamese himself was surprised when he was adjudged the winner via the Referee Stopped Contest-Outclass before the fourth round.

On Friday night, two other Filipino fighters advanced to the semifinals as Roel Laguna (57kg) and Mark Melligen (64kg.) pounded out similar second-round stoppages of Laos’ Keo Intha Sathi and Camboadia’s Chan Samrith.

The Philippines was expected to complete a 7-of-9 showing in the preliminary round as Harry Tanamor (48kg) and Joan Tipon (54kg) were fancied to beat their respective rivals last night.

Tanamor, silver medalist in the Busan Asian Games, and Tipon gold medal winner in the pre-SEAG tourney in the very same venue, were to face unheralded rivals Malaysia’s Zamzai Azizibin Mohamad and Laos’ Chanthaone Erayarak.

Aside from Magliquian, Camat, Laguna and Melligen, Florencio Ferrer (60kg) is another RP boxer who has made it to the semis.