Boxer Boncales scores for Philippines in Olympic Qualifiers

MANILA, Philippines – Roldan Boncales opened the Philippines’ bid for the precious few slots to the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics with a unanimous decision victory over Vietnam’s national champion Tran Von Thao in China. 

The 23-year-old flyweight, who is the latest General Santos City native to take the international boxing stage, earned identical 30-27 scores from all 3 judges who minded the fight.

The Filipino fighter looked a little bewildered after taking some shots from the 24-year-old Vietnamese boxer in the first round. After he was settled down by his coach Nolito “Boy” Velasco between rounds, Boncales recovered his wits and had the Vietnamese fighter backpedaling. 

Velasco said he had to practically scream at and douse water on Boncales, who looked dazed after the first round.

“Parang natulala at sumusuntok na lang by instinct. Kaya sinabuyan ko ng tubig at sinabi ko mag-focus at huwag intindihin ang crowd. Natauhan naman at lumaban ng laban niya,” the coach said.

(He seemed dazed and was punching by instinct alone. So I doused him with water and told him to focus and not mind the crowd. He was then able to shake it off and fought his fight.)

“It wasn’t an easy fight,” noted Ed Picson, executive director of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines and head of the Filipino delegation to the Asian-Oceanian Olympic Qualifying Event in Qian’an City, Hebei Province, China.

“Roldan just got his feet wet. He’ll be fine after that initial victory. He has a tough one ahead against the number 4 seed, Olzhas Sattibayev, who is from Kazakhstan. But if Boncales displays the form he showed during the US camp, he should hurdle that without any problem,” Picson added.

Boncales’ last fight was at the Indonesian President’s Cup in April 2015, where he got hit hard in the face by a head butt. Upon returning to the Philippines, he underwent surgery at the Makati Medical Center for a hairline fracture that laid him off for about 3 months.

A few months ago, however, he came back with a vengeance, impressing the ABAP national coaches who allowed him to challenge for the 52-kilogram spot against Southeast Asian Games and Sri Lanka Lion’s Cup gold medalist Ian Clark Bautista.

“Babawi ako sa susunod na laban,” Picson quoted Boncales as saying after his close shave.

(I will bounce back in my next match.)

On Sunday, the lone Filipina boxer in the competition, Nesthy Petecio, goes up against Jennifer Chieng of Micronesia who actually fights in the United States. Chieng is reported to be half-Filipina.

Charly Suarez, seeded number 2 in the lightweight class, debuts on the same day against Chinese-Taipei’s Lai Chu En who upset Turkmenistan’s Imankuliyev in a split decision Saturday.

Rogen Ladon and Eumir Felix Marcial, seeded number one in the light flyweight and welterweight classes, respectively, will have their first fight on Monday, March 28, along with bantamweight Mario Fernandez, who drew a bye. – Rappler.com