Amman, Jordan, March 4, 2020: Reigning women’s world featherweight champion Nesthy Petecio issued an ominous warning to her rivals after easing through to the quarterfinals in the 57kg division at the Asia/Oceania Tokyo 2020 boxing qualifiers in Amman, Jordan, on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old Filipino said she was disappointed with her performance, despite convincingly beating Sri Lanka’s Krismi Dharmathilaka, and warned that she was going to be a lot better as the tournament progressed.
“I am not satisfied because I felt heavy out there,” Petecio said. “Maybe it is because it is my first fight but I felt I wasn’t at my best. I am a world champion and, God willing, I can win an Olympic medal - but I must concentrate on qualifying here and improving.”
Petecio, who is gunning for one of 22 Olympic spots for women across five weight divisions from these qualifiers – the men will fight for 41 spots across eight classes – will next meet Japan’s Sena Irie in the last eight. Irie defeated New Zealand’s Amy Andrew to book her quarterfinal berth.
In the first shock of the tournament, Thailand’s fourth seed Nilawan Techasuep was beaten by former youth world champion Chowdry Sakshi of India on a split decision.
The action got hotter in the evening session at the Prince Hamzah Hall when world silver medallist Yang Wenlu was stunned in the women’s 60kg by the brilliant Sudaporn Seesondee of Thailand on a unanimous decision following three sizzling rounds.
“I felt pressure because I was fighting such a good opponent but I moved well in the ring and felt I controlled the fight,” said Seesondee. She will now come up against Chinese Taipei’s Wu Shih-yi in the quarterfinals.
Advancing in the women’s 57kg were second seed Lin Yu-ting of Chinese Taipei, third seed Skye Nicolson of Australia, China’s Olympic silver medallist Yin Junhua and Mongolia’s Bolortuul Tumurkhuyag.
“For my first fight I did okay but will need to improve,” said Lin, the 2018 world champion. “I have targeted the gold medal in Tokyo so I will keep working hard and get better.”
The performance of the evening came from Thailand’s 2018 world youth champion Thitsan Panmot, who demolished Bhutan’s Tashi Wangdi in the men’s 52kg class. Aldoms Suguro, from Indonesia, also made his way through to the last 16 where he will face reigning Olympic and world champion Shakhobidin Zoirov of Uzbekistan.
In the men’s 60kg there were wins for Nursultan Mamataly of Kyrgyzstan, Wuttichai Masuk of Thailand and Misheelt Battumur of Mongolia.
Source: www.joc.jo