PHILIPPINE boxers Ronel Suyom and Xian Baguhin secured bronze medals at the Asian Boxing U19 and U22 Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, after hard-fought victories in their respective quarterfinal bouts.
Baguhin pulled off a split decision win over Japan’s Moena Kashiwada in the U19 women’s 51kg division.
Meanwhile, Suyom advanced to the semifinals of the men’s bantamweight (55kg) category after defeating China’s Shaoqing Li via unanimous decision.
Suyom, an IOC Scholar for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, is guaranteed at least a bronze medal but However, his status for the semifinals remains uncertain after he sustained a cut above his left eyebrow from an accidental headbutt.
The bout was halted before the start of the third round due to the injury, but Suyom was awarded the win based on the judges’ scorecards from the first two rounds.
ABAP officials and the team doctor are closely monitoring Suyom’s injury and will decide whether he will be cleared to compete in tomorrow’s (August 6) semifinals.
The duo’s podium finish follows the recent success of John Wayne Vicera, who bagged bronze in the men’s 51kg division of the Guizhou International Boxing Tournament in China. Vicera, a native of Bago City, Negros Occidental, advanced from the quarterfinals after beating a Kazakh opponent before bowing to a hometown favorite in the semifinals, earning his first international medal.
Day 4 of the Asian Boxing U19 & U22 Championships featured a packed slate of quarterfinal bouts in both morning and evening sessions, with 40 intense matchups determining the next set of medal contenders.
The action included dominant victories, razor-thin split decisions, and several referee stoppages as U22 fighters battled for podium spots.
The morning session opened with seven women’s quarterfinals in the Light, Welter, and Light Middleweight divisions. Among the standout performances were India’s Priya, who swept all five scorecards in her 60kg bout, and Korea’s Seo Eun Kim, who impressed with sharp combinations before narrowly losing to Vietnam’s Thi Tuyet Tran.
China and Uzbekistan also delivered strong tactical displays in the women’s division.
