Vargas arrives for pugs last push

MANILA, Philippines - Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) president Ricky Vargas arrives in Incheon this morning to witness the last push of the country’s fighters still in contention for a gold medal at the Asian Games.

Lightweight Charly Suarez battles Jordan’s Obada Mohammad Mustafa Alkasbeh in the semifinals tomorrow afternoon with the winner advancing to the finals against the survivor of the other semifinal bout between Japan’s Satoshi Shimizu and Mongolia’s Otgondalai Dorjnyambuu.

Three other Filipinos fought yesterday for slots in the semifinals – lightflyweight Mark Anthony Barriga, bantamweight Mario Fernandez and middleweight Wilfredo Lopez. Whoever pulled through is now assured of a bronze and will return to the ring to fight in the semifinals tomorrow.

Suarez, 26, disposed of Uzbekistan’s Elnur Abduraimov, India’s Akhil Kumar and Iraq’s Anmar Jabbar Hasan Hasan to reach the semifinals. Alkasbeh, 20, had a tougher grind in making it to the last four, taking out Asian Continental champion Berik Abdrakhmanov of Kazakhstan, Pakistan’s Ahmad Ali by technical knockout and hometown bet Olympic silver medalist Soon Chul Han in that order.

The win over Soon established Alkasbeh as the man to beat in the 60-kilogram division. Soon, 30, had hoped to capture a gold medal before his countrymen after claiming a silver and a bronze in two previous Asian Games but the Jordanian, runner-up at the Asian Continental Championships as a bantamweight in Amman last year, wouldn’t be denied his ticket to the semifinals. Alkasbeh, No. 11 in the AIBA world bantamweight ratings, launched a swarming attack that put Soon on the back foot from the start.

“I’m delighted with the bronze but it’s only a step on my road to the gold medal for Jordan,” said Alkasbeh who was carried on the shoulders of his cornermen out of the Seonhak Gym. Soon had previously eliminated Thailand’s two-time Olympian Saylom Ardee.

Suarez won his first two bouts by split decision but beat Hasan handily even if he had a point deduction for ducking. “I know Hasan from last July in the Kazakhstan President Cup where I beat him,” said Suarez. “He’s usually ambidextrous but in our fight, he fought right-handed. I think he was a bit intimidated but it still wasn’t an easy fight. I wanted to make sure Sir Ricky (Vargas) will have a fight to watch in the semifinals when he comes.”

ABAP secretary-general Patrick Gregorio, watching at ringside, said Suarez won despite nursing a slight fever and a bad cold. “Charly got a weird point deduction but still won,” he said. “Charly dedicated the win to Mr. Vargas.”

  A two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, Suarez underwent four shoulder surgeries since last year. After beating Hasan, he had his right shoulder strapped with an ice pack to relieve the soreness. Suarez will fight through the pain for a chance to win the gold medal which carries a prize of P3 Million. A victory over Alkasbeh will assure Suarez a silver medal and a reward of P1 Million.

Alkasbeh’s aggressive style impresses the judges but his accuracy is questionable. If Suarez is able to counter effectively and use footwork to throw off Alkasbeh’s balance, the Filipino should win. But if Alkasbeh takes the initiative and dictates the tempo, the Jordanian could pull off a victory.

Of the first four Filipino casualties, ABAP executive director Ed Picson said only flyweight Ian Clark Bautista didn’t deserve to be eliminated. He conceded defeat and had no excuses in admitting the losses of lightwelterweight Dennis Galvan, flyweight Josie Gabuco and lightweight Nesthy Petecio. Galvan was the only Filipino in the delegation of eight fighters eliminated in his first bout.

The other day, Picson sent a letter to boxing tournament supervisor David Francis of Wales expressing concern over the spate of controversial decisions that marked the early going of the Asian Games. While Picson felt strongly that Bautista was robbed in his fight against Korea’s Choe Sangdon, he withheld filing a protest. Under AIBA rules, a protest can only be filed on the alleged improper actuations of the referee not on a decision by the judges.

“We are concerned that repetition of such insensitive decisions may send the wrong signal and damage the gains the AIBA leadership under President Ching Kuo Wu has achieved in its avowed goal of transparency and fairness,” wrote Picson. “I wish to make it clear that I am not accusing any of the officials of the tournament but only wish to remind our judges and referees to be more circumspect and focused. Perhaps, a review of the fight tape and those of other contested results is in order. I only wish for our tournament to be successful and for our sport to be free of controversy and suspicion.”