Amateur boxing: Pinoy fighter Rey Saludar scores major upset over mighty Cuban in Kazakhstan

ALMATY, Kazakhstan – The semifinal round of the 4th Kazakhstan President's Cup gets underway starting Friday with two seasoned Filipino boxers carrying the torch for the PLDT-ABAP team.

 

Rey Saludar joined Charly Suarez on Thursday in the round of four as he won a split decision over Jorge Luis Cordero Parlay of Cuba in a slugfest that saw the judges giving a very close 28-27, 28-27, and 27-28 tally sheet for the Philippine Army man.

 

The Cuban had impressed on the first day when he won over Thai star Chatchai Butdee in a unanimous decision but not before decking the Thai in the second round of the match with a cracking left-right combination.

 

Saludar, the reigning Asian champion, was not intimidated however and stood his ground against his taller opponent, exchanging haymakers the whole fight to the delight of the crowd at the Baluak Sholan Palace of Culture and Sports.

 

"He is a very strong puncher but I think I hurt him more. In the second round, he hit me with a punch in the head that dizzied me a bit but I was able to counter right away and his head snapped back. I think that got him thinking a bit", Saludar said in the vernacular.

 

He also admitted that having his first child (a nine-month-old boy) gave him additional inspiration and strength.

 

Suarez faces Mongolian Otdondalai on Friday while Saludar has Kazakhstan's fancied flyweight Suleimenov in his own semifinals match on Saturday. — JST, GMA News