Aira Villegas on cusp of Paris berth, Rogen Ladon exits Olympic boxing qualifier

Filipino boxers Aira Villegas and Rogen Ladon submit contrasting results in the World Qualification Tournament for the Paris Olympics

MANILA, Philippines – One more win and boxer Aira Villegas will join the Philippines’ athlete roster for the Paris Olympics.

Villegas inched closer to a prized Olympic seat as she advanced to the quarterfinals of the women’s 50kg division in the World Qualification Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy, on Sunday, March 10.

Coming off a 3-2 split decision victory over Canada’s Mckenzie Wright, Villegas earned a unanimous decision win this time in disposing of Denmark’s Sofie Rosshaug.

The top four in the women’s 50kg will punch their tickets to Paris.

While Villegas reached the next round, Rogen Ladon got shown the door as he bowed out in the last 16 of the men’s 51kg class, leaving the Philippine boxing team with only three bets who are in contention for an Olympic slot.

Ladon, who scored a rousing knockout win over Morocco’s Said Mortaji in the round of 16, fell prey to Great Britain’s Kiaran MacDonald via a 4-1 split decision.

The seventh Filipino boxer to exit in Busto Arsizio, Ladon – a 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympian – can still qualify for Paris through the second World Qualification Tournament in Bangkok, Thailand, in May.

Still in the running for the Philippines are Tokyo Games silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam, who aim to move within a win from a Paris berth.

Through to the quarterfinals, Petecio battles Maud van der Toorn of the Netherlands in the women’s 57kg, while Paalam faces Shukur Ovezov of Turkmenistan in the last 16 of the mens’ 57kg later on Sunday. – Rappler.com