On the third day of competition at the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand's, Pre-Olympic Tournament winner and defending Champion Chatchai Butdee, having already secured his place at the London Olympic Games, made a successful debut in his opening contest. The Thai Flyweight star travelled to Palembang to defend his title and went one step towards achieving his goal by eliminating Malaysia's Arafura Games winner Mohamed Subrie Khamis.
Myanmar's Flyweight No.1, Southeast Asian Games bronze medallist last time around, Htet Aung will be celebrating his 20th birthday only later this year. He secured at least another bronze here in Palembang following his victory over Singapore's 18-year-old Youth Olympian Mohamed Hanurdeen Hamid.
Philippines' top boxer, current Asian Games winner Rey Saludar did not give any chance to Laos' Chanthasone Xayyaphone as he advanced to the Flyweight semi-finals. They had met at the last edition of the Southeast Asian Games in Vientiane where Xayyaphone had won but Saludar this time managed to gain the upper hand and triumphed.
One of Indonesia's finest, 23-year-old Asian Championships quarter-finalist Julio Bria from the picturesque island of Bali was sent packing by Vietnam's Flyweight favourite, President's Cup silver medallist Nguyen Van Hai. The local boxer now meets Philippines' Rey Saludar in the next round with a place in the final at stake.
Philippines' national team newcomer, 20-year-old Dennis Galvan, who replaced Orlando Tacuyan in the Light Welterweight division, demonstrated his technique against Malaysia's teenager Khir Akyazlan Azmi and advanced to the final.
Galvan's next opponent will be Indonesia's 25-year-old Afdan Bachtila who secured his place in the national squad only last year. The local favourite stopped Cambodia's most experienced fighter, Southeast Asian Games bronze medallist Ratha Svay.
Myanmar's newly crowned National Champion Wai Lin Aung triumphed over Timor's 25-year-old Elio Jenoveva Da Silva who won a historical contest in her previous round. Aung will now meet Thailand's titleholder Apichet Saensit in the Welterweight final. Saensit eliminated Vietnam's Truong Dinh Hoang.
Malaysia's Southeast Asian Games winner Muhammad Farkhan Bin Mohamed Haron caused the big upset of the tournament on the third day of competition, the 23-year-old Middleweight boxer was too strong and eliminated Thailand's Athens Olympic Games winner Manus Boonjumnong. The Malaysian titleholder will now face Indonesia's World Military Games competitor veteran Alex Tatontos in the final. Tatontos eliminated Cambodia's 21-year-old Chhuon Sok Leng in his Middleweight semi-final.
23-year-old Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Tournament bronze medallist Aung Ko Ko showed the development of Myanmar's boxing performances and eliminated the current Southeast Asian Games Champion, Malaysia's Mohamed Fairus Azwan in the Light Heavyweight category.
Myanmar's first finalist in Palembang will meet Vietnam's Luong Van Toan for the gold medal. The young Vietnamese competitor stopped Cambodia's 22-year-old Huot Sam Ath before the final bell following some powerful punches that had his opponent in all kinds of trouble.
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