Aparri assured of bronze; Petecio falls

Filipino light flyweight Alice Kate Aparri assured herself of a bronze medal but bantamweight Nesthy Petecio failed to keep up with her in the Women’s World Boxing Championships in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Thursday. Aparri hacked out a comfortable 8-2 victory over “Road to Bardados” training camp star Anusha Kodithuwakku of Sri Lanka to cruise into the semifinals against the talented Mary Kom of India. Kom, who fought with a heavily bandaged knee, also scored an 8-2 win over  Lynsey Holdaway of Wales. Petecio ran into a tough and experienced Russian Elena Savelyeva, who lived up to her rating as a possible medal contender in the Aiba (International Boxing Federation) championship preview with a lopsided 12-3 victory. Annie Albania, the third and most illustrious member of the RP team, bowed out earlier to Sumeyra Yazici of Turkey, 7-4. Both Yazici and Albania were rated by the Aiba as possible medalists in the flyweight division, along with continental champion Kim Myong-sim of North Korea and Turkish Prime Ministry Tournament winner Nazgul Boranbayeva of Kazakhstan.