BANGKOK – Veteran Genebert Basadre outsmarted local bet Maethee Namuang in their elimination round match to advance in the 31st King’s Cup boxing tournament at the Gnamwongwan Mall Convention Center here Sunday.
Basadre, a protege of Misamis Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno, the Region X president of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines, used superior footwork and accurate sniping from long range to dominate his Thai rival, 15-3.
The victory set up the 2005 SEA Games gold and 2006 Doha Asian Games bronze medalist to a semifinal round clash with Joun Buk Hwan of Korea Tuesday.
But while Basadre breezed through the next round to join fellow RP bets light flyweight Gerson Nietes and featherweight Charly Suarez, Aston Francis Palicte fell to another Thai fighter, dropping a 10-14 decision to Chatree Gnaognam in their flyweight clash.
The 18-year-old fighter from Bago City thus became the first casualty of Smart-Team Philippines, whose campaign is backed by the Philippine Sports Commission.
Meanwhile, Nietes and Suarez resume their campaign Monday along with Asian Games gold medalist Joan Tipon, 26, who will square off with Thailand A’s Butdee Chatchai in the 54-kilogram class.
Joegin Ladon sees action in the 60 kg. lightweight category against Amangeldi Hudaybergenov of Turkmenistan while Nietes ((light flyweight 48 kg.) and Suarez (featherweight 57 kg.) go up against Samoylov Alexander of Russia and Masook Wutthichai of Thailand A, respectively.