The first Asian competition after the London 2012 Olympic Games was held in the capital city of Chinese Taipei where the local boxing federation organized the second edition of their international invitational tournament. A young Filipino team shined in this Taipei City Cup and bagged five gold medals in the ten weight categories.
"This validates what we have been saying all along. We have a vibrant grassroots development program in the Philippines that has identified the best potentials from the countryside. These talented boys and young girls give us hope for the future", said ABAP President Mr. Ricky Vargas.
Philippines' 18-year-old Rogen Ladon who was London Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga's main sparring partner in the previous months, secured his career highlight winning the gold medal at the light flyweight class. Filipino national team member veteran Joegin Ladon's younger brother defeated Japan's newcomer Kenshiro Teraji by 19:10 despite of the fact that he received a warning in the third round.
The host nation's first gold medal was achieved by their flyweight boxer Chen Yao Chun who claimed silver and bronze medals in the national events previously. The tall local boxer was too strong for Japan's debutant Takanao Fukita and won their final contest by 17:8 while unexpectedly Singapore's Youth Olympian 19-year-old Mohamed Hanureeh Bin Hamid failed to reach any medal in Taipei City.
Philippines' newcomer in the international level 19-year-old Mario Fernandez shocked Chinese Taipei's AIBA Junior World Championships quarter-finalist teenager Lin Yu Che who went up a weight division after the AIBA Asian Olympic Qualifiers. Fernandez attacked more, operated with quick left jabs against his taller rival and won the bantamweight class winning the final by 19:9.
Japan's National Championships silver medallist Kenji Fujita made his debut in the international level at the President's Cup in Jakarta last year and has got excellent skills. The lightweight boxer triumphed over Indonesia's new lightweight No.1 Supriadi by large margin of points and secured Japan's only gold in Taipei City.
In the absence of Southeast Asian Games winner Denis Galvan Philippines' new team member in the national squad, 19-year-old Joel Bacho dominated the light welterweight final against Japan's National Championships bronze medallist Shuichiro Yoshino. The final verdict of their contest was 15:8 to Bacho who secured Philippines' third gold medal.
Chinese Taipei's Asian Championships quarter-finalist 21-year-old Su Chin Cheng and Japan's National Championships silver medallist Naoki Minagawa had a great final at the welterweight class. The local hero was able to equalize the bout just before the final gong and won their contest by accepted scores on home soil.
Philippines' has got excellent female fighters in the lowest weight classes and their newcomer Maricris Igam proved that fact again. The young Filipino light flyweight boxer defeated Vietnam's Nguyen Thi Luong by 25:10 in the final while Kazakhstan's AIBA Women's World Championships silver medallist Nazym Kyzaybay failed to reach the semi-final in Taipei City. The Central Asian star was defeated by Japan's 17-year-old Madoka Wada who finally claimed a bronze medal in the event.
Philippines' 21-year-old Irish Magno secured the Southeast Asian nation's fifth and final gold medal in Taipei City. The flyweight boxer knocked down Chinese Taipei's most experienced female fighter Pin Meng Chieh in the third round therefore the referee stopped their unequal contest. Magnó started her boxing career only in 2008 but she has got great expectations in the next Rio Olympic era.
Japan's multiple National Champion 21-year-old Tomoko Kugimiya is member of the national squad since 2009 therefore she had enough experiences to beat Vietnam's Le Thi Bang by 21:14 at the Olympic lightweight class. The last gold medal of the event was secured by Kazakhstan's middleweight No.2, former Asian Champion Dariga Shakimova who triumphed over Chinese Taipei's Mai Chih Hsiang by 11:5.
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