TOKYO - Featherweight Nesthy Petecio rallied in the middle and late rounds to beat Irma Testa of Italy via 4-1 split decision and get a shot at the gold medal in the boxing finals of the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday.
Petecio lost on the scorecards of all five judges after a tentative first round but took control from the second round on by attacking and getting more on the inside, thereby eliminating the Italian's daunting advantage in size and reach.
Testa clearly shaken by the change in tactics, the 29-year old from Davao del Sur went for broke and sealed the win that made her only the third Philippine boxer to reach an Olympic final after the late Anthony Villanueva in 1964, also in Tokyo, and Mansueto 'Onyok' Velasco in the 1996 Games in Atlanta.
Petecio, the world champion in the division in 2019 but seeded only No. 7 here, fell on both knees and cried unabashedly after five judges who had her losing the first round on 10-9 scores gave her the last two rounds
"Sobrang saya ko po," said Petecio, dedicating the victory to her dad who dreamed about seeing her fight in the Olympics, her best friend and former national teammate Alexcel Dargantes who died last February, and a Philippine nation reeling from the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Hindi lang po para sa akin ito, para po ito sa bayan," she said.
Petecio, now assured of at least a silver-medal finish that carries a windfall in the millions, promised to go all the way in the finals of the 54-57 kilogram division set on August 3 at the Kokugikan Arena.
She will be facing the winner of the other semifinal pitting home heroine Irie Sera and Great Britan's Karriss Artingstall which will be fought in the day's evening session.
Petecio had taken down No. 1 seed Lin Yu-ting of Chinese-Taipei - a tall fighter who fights in the same style as the 5-foot-8 Testa - in the round of 16 and therefore went into the fight quietly confident.
But she sent coaches and the few Filipinos inside the stadium in panic when she hardly attacked and consequently lost the first round.
"Noong first round po, sinunod ko lang po yung unang game plan nila coach na di muna pumasok sa kanya," said Petecio, glancing at coaches Boy Velasco and Don Abnett who were beside her in the media mixed zone.
"Sinubukan namin, pero hindi talaga nag-click kasi ang haba talaga ng reach n’ya. Kita n’yo naman po, kahit ako nagugulat sa haba ng reach n’ya," she continued. "Tapos noong second round, sabi ni coach na hindi kami pwedeng mag-stick sa ganoong laro, kailangan naming pumasok nang pumasok."
Change in tactics does it
The complexion of the fight changed drastically in the second round as Petecio sprinted out of her corner and started attacking more. The Italian started backtracking as she repeatedly got tagged by a looping Petecio right.
At one point, all Testa, a former lightweight campaigner, could do was grab the switch-hitting Petecio and clinch, just to parry the attack.
"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," Petecio told reporters later.
"Hindi po ako na-down noong sinabi na nilang lamang si Testa. Nagdasal po ako at sinabi ko na para sa akin ito, ibibigay n’yo ito, Lord."
Testa told reporters later she agreed with the decision, admitting she was 'surprised' by Petecio's change in tactics.
"I didn't adjust," she rued.
Alliance of Boxing Associations of the Philippines (Abap) head Ricky Vargas said. "At this point, her legacy is already safe. But knowing her, she will go for the best result which is no less than the gold.
"Nesthy is destined for greatness and she’s on her way there."
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