MANILA, Philippines – Rogen Ladon settled for the Philippines’ second silver medal in the 2018 Asian Games after losing to Uzbekistan’s Jasurbek Latipov via RSC (referee stopped contest) in the flyweight finals in Jakarta, Indonesia on Saturday, September 1.
Both fighters felt the other out by the opening bell, with Ladon landing some clean sting jabs and one-two combos.
However, the fight came to a screeching halt 22 seconds into Round 2 when both men’s heads collided, resulting in Ladon getting cut and almost immediately getting ruled out by the referee.
Three judges scored the first round for Latipov.
“Siyempre na-dismaya ako na hindi man lang siya nakatama, mas marami pa tayong sinuntok na tinama sa kanya pero ganun pa rin yung tawag nila,” said Ladon.
(Of course I was upset because he didn’t even land a punch, I had more punches that connected, but then that’s still how they decided.)
The 24-year-old slugger could have been the first Filipino boxer to bag the Asiad gold since flyweight Rey Saludar overcame China’s Chang Yong in the 2010 Guangzhou Games.
Philippine boxing’s best finish in the 2014 edition in Doha was also a silver courtesy of lightweight Charly Suarez.
Ladon, a 2016 Rio Olympian, made quick work of Thailand’s Yuttapong Tongdee in the semifinal to assure himself of at least silver. Before that, he escaped tough Kazakh boxer Azat Mametov by a 3-2 split win in the quarterfinal round.
Filipino boxers Carlo Paalam and Eumir Marcial also reached the medal round but settled for bronze medals. – Rappler.com
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