Boxing: RP's Moralde falls in Asian Youth Boxing C'ship

TEHRAN, Iran, March 11 (PNA) -- Engelbert Moralde, the last Filipino fighter standing in the 19th Asian Youth Boxing Championship, bowed out quietly Tuesday night, putting to an end the PLDT-Team Philippines’ gold medal hopes at Tehran’s Shahid Shiroudi Complex in the Iranian capital.

Moralde lost to his Indian foe, 5-0, in their 48-kilogram light-flyweight semifinal bout as the Davao City native followed 51-kilogram flyweights Jenno Cabugngan and Daryl Basadre to the sideline.

“He fought gallantly, but he lacked oxygen,” said Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) executive director Ed Picson.

“With only three weeks of training, it was really not surprising, especially with the high altitude here,” Picson added.

Philippine Ambassador Gene Senga was among a flag-waving Filipino community that cheered on their compatriot.

Moralde was left to carry the national colors after Basadre lost to a hometown boy on opening day and Cabugngan fell to a boxer from Tajikistan in the second round of the tournament for Asian pugilists 17 and 18 years of age. (PNA)
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