Bautista wins to open PH campaign Olympic qualifers | Inquirer Sports

Bautista wins to open PH campaign Olympic qualifers

/ 04:44 PM March 04, 2020

Ian Clark Bautista

FILE – Ian Clark Baustista during the 30th Souteast Asian Games. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Ian Clark Bautista forced his fancied Japanese opponent Hayato Tsutsumi into close quarters and relied on his short power punches to earn the nod of three of the five judges on opening day of the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualifying Tournament Tuesday in Amman, Jordan.

Bautista, a 25 year old Philippine Navy seaman, pounded away in the second and third rounds even as he narrowly lost the initial canto in this action-packed bout against the 21 year-old Japanese who is a Youth World Champion (2016) and two-time Asian Youth champion.

Article continues after this advertisement

“I really focused on this fight. My opponent is strong and good but I really forced myself to get this win because I know this is my opportunity to make the Olympics,” said Bautista in Filipino.

FEATURED STORIES

He faces another tough challenge in his second bout on Friday, against Thailand’s Chatchai Butdee, who defeated him in the 30th Southeast Asian Games in Manila last December.

Head coach Ronald Chavez however said that if the boxer from Negros Occidental fights the way he did against the Japanese, he could well exact revenge on the Thai pug, a former Olympian.

Article continues after this advertisement

Wednesday sees world women’s featherweight champion Nesthy Petecio facing Sri Lanka’s Kirismi Langkapurayalage, and Riza Pasuit meeting Saya Hamamoto of Japan.

The tournament ends on March 11.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

TAGS: Ian Clark Bautista, Olympic Qualifiers, Tokyo Olympics

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.