Tacuyan, Castro win 1st bouts at Olympic boxing qualifier

Featherweight Orlando Tacuyan Jr. and flyweight Godfrey Castro won first matches in the last AIBA Olympic Boxing Qualifying Tournament being held at the Sports Palace in Astana, Kazakhstan. The 19-year-old Tacuyan hammered Chung Chun-an of Taiwan in the last 10 seconds to post a 14-13 win while Castro, a late replacement to injured Violito Payla, dominated Glesidin Saliev of Kyrgiztan en route to a 29-9. The Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) made the announcement in a press statement issued on Wednesday. "I am hoping that we could sustain this run," ABAP president Manny Lopez said. On Monday, lightweight Genebert Basadre overpowered Paulus Paunandes of Malaysia, 21-2, to give the RP PSmart-Pldt Team its first quarterfinals berth. Basadre will try to become the first Filipino semifinalist on Wednesday as he tangles with Khawaja Muhebshah of Afghanistan. The victories were blotted, however, by the 25-14 drubbing absorbed by light welterweight Delfin Boholst from Mongolian Uranchimeg Munkh-Erdene later on Tuesday night. Joan Tipon, the country's top bet was the first to go to the exit after absorbing a 30-8 thrashing from H. Todjivayev of Uzbekistan last Monday. - GMANews.TV