Saludar outclasses Tajik fighter; Barriga, Tipon eye 2nd victories

BAKU, Azerbaijan—Guangzhou Asian Games flyweight champion Rey Saludar outclassed Safoviddin Yusufi of Tajikistan, 28-12, Sunday and moved within a win of qualifying to the London Olympics next year.

The lefty from Polomolok, South Cotabato controlled the fight from the opening bell and never gave the 2010 Combat Games silver medalist a chance to get his bearings.

It was the second win for the soft-spoken Saludar in the Aiba World Championships here which serves as the qualifying event for the London Games.

He next faces two-time Olympian Rau’shee Warren of the United States on Tuesday.

Warren, seeded fourth here, also won his match Sunday with a 22-15 rout of Georgiy Chigayev of Ukraine despite getting four penalty points for low blows.

Spitfire Mark Anthony Barriga and Joan Tipon both gun for their second victories Monday against tough opponents.

Barriga takes on eighth seed Patrick Barnes of Ireland, a bronze medalist in the Beijing Olympic Games, in the morning session.

Tipon climbs the ring in the evening program against 2010 Asian Games silver medalist Zhang Jiawei of China.

Saludar’s win ended the country’s losing streak that saw Delfin Boholst, Rolando Tacuyan and Charly Suarez bowing out in succession after a 3-0 start.

The nationals’ stint here is funded by the Philippine Sports Commission and the boxing federation’s major private sponsor PLDT, which is headed by Abap chair, Manuel V. Pangilinan. Boxing shoes and equipment were provided by Adidas, uniforms by Accel, hydration drinks by Powerade and vitamins by Clusivol.