Philippines’ Nesthy Petecio celebrates after defeating Myanmar’s Oo Nwe Ni to claim the gold medal during the 30th South East Asian Games 2019 Women’s Featherweight (57 kg). INQUIRER PHOTO/ Sherwin Vardeleon
MANILA, Philippines–World Champion Nesthy Petecio is now the second-best boxer in the Women’s Elite 57-kilogram category according to the latest world rankings released by the Amateur International Boxing Association.
Petecio racked up 1,200 points to tab the No. 2 spot behind Yu-Ting Lin of Taiwan who paces the leaderboard which has been updated for the first time since January 2019.
All of the featherweight’s points came from her gold medal run in the World Championships in Russia last Oct. 13, 2019, which also made her the second Filipino champion after Josie Gabuco’s feat in 2012.
“One more step toward Rank No. 1,” the 27-year-old pugilist from Davao del Sur, said in Filipino in a Facebook post.
“I fell short during the Olympic qualifiers,” she added. “Next time, that slot is mine.”
Petecio told the Inquirer on Thursday that she hopes to someday test her mettle against Lin.
“I really want to fight her,” she said. “She is regarded as the best in Asia, after all.”
Back in 2017, she also soared as high as No. 2 in the 54-kg division ladder.
Petecio on Thursday finally cleared quarantine protocols and rejoined her family in Digos. She was part of the crop of national athletes that were sent back to their respective provinces as the nation continues to reel from coronavirus pandemic.
“I felt recharged as soon as I was able to hug and see them,” she said of her family. “They have been my inspiration all these years, so I’m feeling full once again.
Petecio, who has been boxing for two decades, is expected to observe another 14 days of home isolation. She said in a previous Inquirer interview that she plans on asking help from her father when she gets back to training.
The 28-year-old national athlete hopes to join the ranks of middleweight Eumir Marcial and flyweight Irish Magno as Filipino boxers who have secured a spot in the Tokyo Olympics which had been moved to July 23, 2021.