Another controversial loss has Abap belting out familiar refrain

Nesthy Petecio feels she won the match against her Chinese foe. —PH ASIAN GAMES MEDIA POOL

JAKARTA—Two Filipino pugs hit the showers after the first round in the 18th Asian Games on Friday night, and due to the nature of the second loss, Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (Abap) officials are singing a familiar tune and are batting for the exclusion of three judges in future fights.

Nesthy Petecio, the seasoned featherweight, took a 3-2 loss at the hands of Yin Junhua of China at Jakarta International Expo’s Hall B that got Abap executive director Ed Picson furious and asking world governing Aiba that the judges “not be assigned in the coming Philippine fights [for the rest of the Asian Games].”

Petecio was among the bright medal prospects of the eight-strong PH contingent here, and fought bravely by pressing the action right from the opening bell against the Chinese, who was warned repeatedly for holding and was even deducted a point for head-butting.

At times, when under pressure from the Filipino, Yin would resort to turning her back to escape the onslaught.

Japan’s Katsunori Hanabusa was so impressed with Petecio that he gave all three rounds to the Filipino, 30-28, counting a 10-8 round, according to Picson.

Turkmenistan’s Ishanguly Meretnyazov also had Petecio winning, 29-27, with the other judges, Korea’s Kim Jong-gin and Bulgaria’s Pavel Pavlov scoring it 29-27 for the Chinese.

Frenchman Johany Maden scored it even, 28-all, despite the deduction on Yin and made the split decision when he chose Yin as winner since there are no draws in amateur boxing.

Boxing is fighting for inclusion in the 2020 Olympics, “and something like this happens,” Picson said. “It’s simply heartbreaking.”

Petecio felt she had done enough to merit a win over her rival, who she had already beaten before, and wept after stepping off the ring.

The Philippines has been caught in the raw end of several controversial decisions in the past, in major tournaments like the Asiad, the Southeast Asian Games and the Olympics, something local boxing officials hope will change.