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CHICAGO , Illinois: Light flyweight Harry Tañamor
and lightweight Genebert Basadre mauled their respective rivals at
the International Amateur Boxing Association World Boxing
Championships Sunday at the University of Illinois-Chicago Pavilion
here.
Tañamor outboxed Nasir Mohammed
of Wales, 24-5, while Basadre whipped Faraj Al-Matboli of Jordan ,
29-7 to join flyweight Violito Payla of the RP-PLDT-Smart boxing
team to the round of 16 at the University of Illinois-Chicago
Pavilion.
Basadre bucked two warnings given
by the referee to move to within a win making the 2008 Beijing
Olympics, while Tañamor dominated the bout right from the opening
buzzer to frustrate the hard-fighting Welshman. A third warning
would mean disqualification to the pride of Cagayan de Oro City.
According to AIBA,
quarterfinalists will advance to Beijing.
A veteran of the 2000 Sydney and
2004 Athens Olympics, Tañamor surged ahead by 10, 13-3 at the end
of second round before securing the win with a flurry of punches
which stopped Mohammed, 20-5 early in the fourth and final round.
Head coach Pat Gaspi said the
29-year-old pride of Zamboanga City is peaking at the right time.
“Harry’s improving and will
be in peak form come his next fight,” said Gaspi.
Tañamor faces 2005 World
Championships bronze medalist Sherali Dostiev while Payla tests
Rau’shee Warren, a rising star in the United States boxing team in
the round of 16.
Despite the lopsided score, there
were tense moments during Basadre’s triumph.
Meanwhile, AIBA President Ching
Kuo Wu said that three Romanian boxers, including their coach and
manager were sent home Sunday and slapped with lifetime bans for
acts detrimental to amateur boxing. Wu said all were caught
shoplifting at an upscale Chicago department store.
“The new AIBA will not tolerate
this kind of behavior among its member-nations. Their act is a
disgrace to the number one Olympic sport,” said Wu, who met team
officials and coaches for the second time in four days at the Palmer
House Hilton.
The incident came two days after
an urgent meeting called by Wu following the defection of three
boxers—two Ugandans and an Armenian.
“All of us have the
responsibility to maintain the integrity of AIBA. USA Boxing is
doing a good job and we must help in ensuring the success of this
tournament,” Wu said.
 --AFP
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