HANOI – The Philippine boxing team got off to a sizzling start as Rogen Ladon and Ian Clark Bautista won gold medals after the first two boxing finals of the 31st Southeast Asian Games on Sunday at the Bac Ninh Gymnasium.
Ladon edged Thao Tran Van of Vietnam, 3-2, in the men’s -52 kilogram division while Bautista upended Naing Latt of Myanmar, 5-0, in the men’s -57kg class, providing the Philippines its 49th and 50th gold medal of the Games.
[Eumir Marcial stops Timor Leste fighter for SEA Games gold]
Eumir Marcial late made it 3-of-3 for Team Philippines after making quick work of Delio Anzaqeci Mouzinho, beating the Timor Leste fighter via referee stopped contest in the first round.
Ladon, a silver medalist in the 2018 Asian Games, has now won the past two SEA Games gold medals in the weight category. He advanced to the semifinals with a 4-1 victory over Thanarat Saengphet of Thailand.
Bautista was as dominating as he was in a 5-0 win against Raengsey Sao of Cambodia as he redeemed himself after settling for a bronze in 2019.