YEREVAN, Armenia – Eumir Felix Marcial beat Tajikistan's Mumin Mukhtorov, 22-8, to stay on course for the gold medal in the Aiba World Youth Championships at the Karen Demirchyan Sports Complex.
Ian Clark Bautista and General Santos native Jade Bornea also posted victories on their debut but Mandaluyong's Jonas Bacho was not as fortunate, losing a 10-12 decision to veteran internationalist Nursultan Bizanbayev of Uzbekistan.
Bautista defeated another Uzbek, Khakimjon Ubaydullayev, 17-7, in the 52-kilogram division while Bornea, an 18-year-old whose twin brother Jake is also part of the national pool, dominated Latvia's Dimitris Zaharovs, 19-6.
Marcial, who won gold in last year's junior world championships in Astana, is now just a win short of a stint in the quarterfinals of the 60kg division. He beat Timur Pirnazarov of Kazakhstan in his opening bout.
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