FOUR Filipino boxers made it to the semifinals of the 2016 Asian/Oceania Qualification Event in Qian'an, China to move a win away from securing a berth in the Rio De Janeiro Olympics.
Bantamweight Mario Fernandez led the big day for the Filipino boxers as the Southeast Asian Games champion beat Mohammad Alwadi of Jordan via unanimous decision during the evening session on Tuesday.
Also entering ithe semifinals were Rogen Ladon, Charly Suarez, and Eumir Felix Marcial.
Ladon defeated Al-Kaabi Hasan Ali Shakir of Iraq via unanimous decision in their light flyweight bout while Suarez pulled off a similar unanimous decision win over Rangi Deeraj of India in the lightweight division.
Marcial, also a SEA Games champion, won over Kazemzadehposhtiri Sajjad of Iran via unanimous decision in the welterweight class.
Fernandez, Ladon, Suarez, and Marcial will now have two chances of punching a ticket to Rio, which they can do either by winning their semifinal bout on Thursday or by taking the bronze medal as the top three boxers in each division will gain an Olympic berth.
Female boxer Nesthy Petecio, however, was not as fortunate as she lost in the quarterfinal round in the flyweight division to Mary Kom of India.
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