JOSIE Gabuco failed to advance in the gold medal match of the ASBC Asian Elite Men and Women’s Boxing Championships after losing to Gulasal Sultonalieva of Uzbekistan in the semifinals late Thursday night at the grand ballroom of the Le Meridien Hotel in Dubai.
The Filipina lost by score of 4-1, and settled for the bronze medal as she failed to defend her light-flyweight title she won during the 2019 edition of the meet in Bangkok, Thailand, where Gabuco incidentally, was adjudged as the Best Woman Boxer.
The 21-year-old Sultonalieva will now meet Alua Balkybekova of Kazakhstan in a rematch of their bout during the 2019 AIBA Women’s World Championships which the Uzbekistan won.
The loss of Gabuco, 34, left the Philippines with just three gold medals hopeful left in the tournament led by Tokyo Olympics-bound Eumir Felix Marcial.
The now 25-year-old pro boxer will lead the Filipinos’ charge in the men’s semifinals on Friday that also includes light-flyweight Mark Lester Durens and bantamweight Junmilardo Ogayre.
Seeing action overseas for the first time, the 20-year-old Durens makes the opening salvo for the Filipinos as he faces Daniyal Sabit of Kazakhstan at 48 kg.
Ogayre follows suit at 56 kg but will have his hands full as he goes up against top seed Mirazizbek Mirzahalilov of Uzbekistan.
Marcial then caps the night as the top seed in the 75 kg division squares off with Jafarov Saidjamshid of Uzbekistan, who stunned no. 4 seed Omurbek Bekzhigit Uulu of Krygyzstan in the quarterfinals.
Barcelona Olympics bronze medalist Roel Velasco and Joegin Ladon call the shots for the men’s team, while former Asian Women’s Boxing Championships gold medal winner Mitchel Martinez coaches the distaff side.
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