TOKYO - Italian featherweight Irma Testa admitted on Saturday that her failure to adjust to a tactical shift by Nesthy Petecio in the middle rounds led to her downfall in their semifinal at the Tokyo Olympics boxing tournament.
The 5-foot-8 Testa, a former lightweight contender who moved down one weight class for the Olympics, was in total control in the opening round as she scored repeatedly on jabs while keeping Petecio in a safe distance.
But the complexion of the fight changed dramatically in the second round when Petecio, sensing that she stood no chance against the towering Testa if she continued to fight from long distance, started boring in at every opportunity.
"Noong first round po, sinunod ko lang po yung unang game plan nila coach na di muna pumasok sa kanya," said Petecio. "Pero hindi talaga nag-click kasi ang haba talaga ng reach n’ya. Tapos noong second round, sabi ni coach na hindi kami pwedeng mag-stick sa ganoong laro, kailangan naming pumasok nang pumasok."
"Noong mga sumunod na round, lagi po akong lumalapit, pinapasok ko po talaga s’ya. Kinukuha ko po s’ya sa speed, sa lakas ko, kasi alam ko na mas malakas po ako sa kanya," the Filipino pug added.
Tactical gambit
Testa admitted she was taken aback by Petecio's tactical gambit and her failure to adjust cost her a place in the finals.
"In the second and third rounds, she was very good in changing the way of fighting," said the 23-year old from Assisi. "I was surprised and I fought like the first round and didn't adjust."
Testa said she had no problem at all with the judges' decision
"No, I wasn't surprised [by the judges' decision] because the second round was for the Filipino. The third is more or less even," said Testa, who still made history as the first woman boxer from Italy to secure an Olympic medal.
"There's nothing more to add, except for the preference of the judges on the style of fighting."
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
