Barriga stuns Olympic medalist

MANILA, Philippines - Mark Anthony Barriga got back at Patrick Barnes of Ireland, scoring a 20-12 decision in the AIBA World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan Monday to move closer to a dream Olympic stint.

Barriga, 18, outgunned the 24-year-old Beijing Olympic Games bronze medalist who beat him in their World Youth Championship clash as he delivered solid uppercuts, straights and hooks, one of which bloodied his opponent’s nose in the first round.

The Filipino took the early lead at 6-4 then kept scoring with counter-punches, enabling the Davao del Norte native to pad his lead to 13-8 after two rounds.

Barnes still failed to corner the diminutive but elusive Barriga in the third and turned his back in frustration three seconds before the final bell rang.

But while Barriga matched teammate Rey Saludar’s second win, Doha Asian Games gold medalist Joan Tipon fell short of his bid to crash into the Last 16, losing to Chinese Zhang Jiawei, 8-17.

Tipon tried his best to cut the exit points of his quick opponent, but constantly ran into snappy counter hooks by Zhang. There were some good exchanges in the first round but the Chinese came out ahead, 6-4.

Round two saw more of the same, 12-6, and finally, with Tipon chasing around in vain, the 2010 Asian Games silver medalist clinched the win and a spot in the Last 16.

Barriga and Saludar, meanwhile, go up against highly favored opponents in the Round of 16 Tuesday.

In the morning session, Barriga will take on the legendary Zou Shiming, two-time world champion and Bejing Olympiad gold medalist. The Chinese has not lost a fight since 2007.

In the 52kg division, Saludar faces two-time Olympian and No. 4 Rau’Shee Warren of the US.

Both Filipino fighters vowed to give it their all since a win in this round assures them of an Olympic slot.

“I’ll do everything to win,” said Saludar in Filipino.

“Tell Mark and Rey we continue to pray for them. They will overcome with determination and faith,” said PLDT and ABAP chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan in a text message to the Filipino fighters.