RP boxer assured of bronze finish in Asian Games

Filipino flyweight Violito Payla assured himself of at least a bronze medal finish in the 15th Asian Games by entering the semifinals with a third round stoppage of India’s Kumar Jitender at the Aspire indoor hall. The referee ended Jitender's misery with 1:23 left in the round as Payla dominated the match and was ahead on points, 27-7. Aside from improving on his quarterfinal finish four year ago in Busan, Korea, the victory put the 27-year-old Athens Olympics veteran two wins away from bagging the gold medal. Payla will next meet Yang Bo of China, a 41-21 winner over world champion Lee Ok Sung of South Korea. But another Filipino boxer was not as lucky. Anthony Marcial bowed to Galib Jafarov of Kazakhstan in their 57 kilogram match. Two more Filipinos were set to meet their quarterfinal opponent late Friday night with Godfrey Castro meeting Ali Saad Al Ahmry in the light flyweight division while Joan Tipon faces Kim Won Guk in the bantam category. - GMANews.TV