Petecio settles for ASBC silver

WULANCHABU, China—Nesthy Petecio lost by split decision to Thai nemesis Peamwilai Laopeam in the bantamweight final late Thursday night as the Philippine campaign in the ASBC Women’s Boxing Championships ended on a sour note at Wulanchabu Sports Gymnasium in this northern Chinese city.

Two judges from Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan gave the Thai girl three rounds and Petecio one for similar 39-37 cards. The third judge from China saw it 39-37 for Petecio.

Petecio asserted herself on Laopeam in the early going, winning on the scorecards of two judges, but the Thai brought the fight to the Filipino in the second and third rounds.

Laopeam looked to have elbowed Petecio in the right eye as the Thai missed with a left hook early in the third round, but the judges saw it as a legal blow.

“I really felt the force of the elbow and for several seconds, my right eye couldn’t see,” said the 23-year-old Davaoeña in Filipino.

Fighting in a southpaw stance before the elbow hit, Petecio was forced to switch to orthodox so she could see her opponent well.

All three judges gave the third round to Laopeam, the four-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist (2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013).

Petecio’s defeat meant the Philippines settled for one silver in the continental meet after Josie Gabuco, Irish Magno and Riza Pasuit lost out to superior foes before the medal rounds.

“Nesthy fought half-blind in the last two rounds,” said Ed Picson, executive director of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines. “But we accept the decision.”