RP pugs concede to tough foes

USTI NAD LABEM, Czech Republic — The RP Alaxan FR Boxing Team settled for three bronzes late Friday as all three Filipino semifinalists lost on points in the penultimate day of the Usti Nad Labem International Boxing Championships here.

Cuban Bartelemiyan Varela opened the day of frustrations for the Filipinos when he nipped light flyweight Harry Tañamor, 24-22, in a hotly-contested bout that saw both fighters exchange stinging head blows.

Flyweight Violito Payla followed Tañamor to the showers with head bowed as he absorbed a 28-25 decision from Russian Alexander Afanasiev two bouts later.

Another Cuban, Guillermo Rigondeaux, completed the RP debacle with a 30-25 victory over bantamweight Joan Tipon.

"Talagang ganyan. Napakalakas ng mga kalaban dito. Pero aalis kami na nakataas ang noo dahil lahat ng mga bata natin, lumaban ng pukpukan.Puro dikit ang laban nila at mga papunta rin sa Athens ang mga Cubano na nakalaban nila," RP coach Boy Velasco said.

Velasco also pointed at the quarterfinals losses of light- welterweight Romeo Brin and middleweight Christopher Camat as a good rating for the Filipinos’ fighting hearts.

Brin and Camat, both recovering from a bout with flu, gave their all against their rivals despite having breathing difficulties and coughs and narrowly lost on points.

The team, sent here by through the support of Alaxan FR, Philippine Sports Commission, Accel, Family Rubbing Alcohol and Pacific Heights, proceeds to the second leg of its final preparation for the Athens Olympics.

The five boxers and two coaches will go to Romania for the Golden Belt tourney June 15-20.

After the Golden Belt hostilities, the squad will go to an international training camp in Plovdiv, Bulgaria June 21-July 16 before capping the two-month sojourn with another stint at the international training camp in Bugeat, France July 17-Aug. 5.