FILIPINO boxers Mark Ashley Fajardo and Ronel Suyom were forced to withdraw from their respective semifinal bouts in the Asian Boxing U19 & U22 Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, due to injuries sustained in earlier matches.
Fajardo, competing in the men’s welterweight (65kg) division, suffered a left-hand injury during his preliminary round bout, rendering him unfit to continue in the semifinals. Despite the setback, the young pugilist will take home a bronze medal for his efforts.
He became the second Filipino to pull out of the tournament after Ronel Suyom, who earlier announced his withdrawal from the men’s bantamweight (55kg) U22 semifinal match against Mongolia’s Durguunsaikhan Kharkhuu. Suyom sustained a cut above his left eyebrow during his quarterfinal clash with China’s Shaoqing Li.
Following medical evaluation, the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP), in consultation with the team’s doctor, decided to pull Suyom out of the semifinals to prevent further aggravating the injury. Like Fajardo, Suyom will settle for a bronze medal finish.
With both male boxers sidelined, the country’s gold medal hopes now rest on the shoulders of lady flyweight Xian Baguhin.
The young fighter displayed grit and determination, scoring a hard-fought split-decision victory over Japan’s Moena Kashiwada in the women’s 51kg division to secure at least a bronze medal and a shot at advancing further in the tournament.
Baguhin’s triumph added to the Philippines’ growing medal tally in Bangkok, following the assured podium finishes of Fajardo and Suyom in their respective weight classes.
Ronel Suyom cut above the left eye.
