Bornea, Marcial outclass foreign bets, gain semis

SUBIC, Philippines – Lightfly Jade Bornea and light welterweight Eumir Felix Marcial came away with a pair of emphatic victories to make it to the semifinal round of their respective divisions in the ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships at the Subic gym yesterday. 

Bornea toppled Rakhmankul Avatov of Kyrgyzstan, 16-6, in the 49kg. division while World Youth champion Marcial whipped China’s Wang Qingqui, 19-11, in the 64kg category.

Three other Filipinos – flyweight Bautista, bantam Jonas Bacho and lightweight James Palicte – were to climb the ring at presstime, all hoping to join Bornea and Marcial in the semis.

Marcial failed to gain headway in the first round while sizing up his rival, enabling Wang to force a 4-4 count.

“I worked on and adjusted to his style,” said Marcial, a fourth year high school student at University of Baguio.

Marcial, who weathered at least one hard straight to the face, will take on Anvar Turamov of Uzbekistan for a crack at the gold medal.

The Uzbek crushed Kyrgyzstan’s Izatillo Shermakhammadov, 18-9.

Bornea, the World Junior bronze medal winner from General Santos City, will face Turkmenistan’s Shatlykyrat Myradov – an 11-8 winner over Iran’s Houman Myradov – on Friday for a place in the gold medal round.

“I was able to seize control in the early going since he became an easy target with his size,” said Bornea, also a high school senior at UB.

Attacking furiously from the opening bell, Bornea took the first round, 8-1 and built it up to 15-4 going to the third of the 10-division tournament backed by the MVP Sports Foundation, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, PLDT, Smart, NLEX, Maynilad, Clarktel, Subictel, Department of Tourism, Tourism Promotions Board, Videogear Inc., Exile Lights and Sound, Philippine Olympic Committee, and the Philippine Sports Commission, and supported by Sony Philippines, Nestle Philippines, and Trame Oil & Environmental Specialist.

“He controlled the fight, dominated the other guy,” said national coach and three-time Olympian Romeo Brin.

“Then he started moving in when they fell behind on points,” Brin added.

Bornea, along with coaches Brin and Elmer Pamisa watched from the corner exit as Myradov, relentless and nimble, came away with the advantage after a furious exchange in the third.