Barriga lone Pinoy finalist

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan—London Olympics qualifier light flyweight Mark Anthony Barriga reasserted his superiority over Shahobidin Zoirov of Uzbekistan, 13-10, Thursday and barged into the finals of the Sydney Jackson Memorial Boxing Tournament at the Universal Uzbekistan Sports Complex.

But Ian Clark Bautista, the only other PLDT-Abap semifinalist in the tournament, ran into a flashy Shexriyor Isakov, also an Uzbek, and lost, 10-13, in their 52-kilogram bout and settled for the bronze medal.

Barriga had beaten the same boxer in the finals of the same tournament last year.

An injured left hand and a strained shoulder muscle handicapped the 17-year-old Bautista, who fought with practically one hand in the last two rounds.

Barriga led, 4-2 after the first round and never looked back. He next faces another London-bound fighter, the power-punching David Ayrapetyan of Russia.