Asian Elite: Saludar, Tipon, Lopez prevail

INCHEON, South Korea—The PLDT-Abap national team notched three wins to make up for two heartbreaking losses on the first day of competition in the Asian Elite Men’s Championship at the Dowon Sports Arena here.

Rey Saludar, the 2010 Asian Games flyweight champion, comebacking Joan Tipon and Wilfredo Lopez pulled off impressive wins.  However, Charly Suarez and Rolando Tacuyan absorbed close setbacks.

Ahead 21-4, Saludar won by disqualification in the second round after the referee sacked his Japanese foe for repeated ducking.

Tipon, an Asian Games gold medalist in 2006, outclassed Mohammed Jawad of Iraq with an 11-4 win in their 56 kg bantamweight match.

Lopez proved too powerful for Kyrgyztan’s Maksat Alimbaev in their 69 kg welterweight division clash, 24-11.

The 25-year-old Army man from Kiamba, Sarangani repeatedly beat his opponent to the punch. Alimbaev took the mandatory 8-count as he doubled up in pain from a hard Lopez right to the abdomen in the first round.

Tacuyan lost to hometown bet Park Sang-hyuk of South Korea, 18-13, while  the highly touted Suarez dropped an 18-17 decision to Kazakh Aydar Amirzakov, 18-17.

The son of a boxing coach from Bacolod and a former national track star from Pampanga, Tacuyan took the first two rounds only to lose steam in the third round as the Korean staged a desperate rally.

Suarez started sluggishly, seemingly bothered by the height advantage enjoyed by his opponent. He trailed 5-6 after the first canto and although he looked more active in the second, he was unable to impress the judges who kept the Kazakh ahead, 13-9.

He totally dominated his rival in the last round but came up just a point short.

The Filipino fighters are tuning up for the  World Championships in September, also an Olympic qualifier.