PLDT – Team Philippines’ Engelbert Moralde crushed his Uzbekistan opponent, 5-1, late Saturday, using a combination of speed, accuracy and defense to advance to the 148-kilogram semifinals of the 19th Asian Youth Boxing Championship at Tehran’s Shahid Shiroudi Complex in the Iranian capital.

Moralde, from Davao City and a discovery of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines Youth Championship in Puerto Princesa last year, goes up against the bet from India Tuesday for a shot at the light flyweight gold medal.

"We came here in the spirit of solidarity and cooperation with ASBC,” said ABAP executive director Ed Picson.

“We found out about the tournament late, but we whipped up a team in a hurry. These boys trained barely two weeks but gave it their all.”

“Moralde's medal whatever it may be is already a bonus. We thank PLDT for backing up an unknown team.”

Moralde, who won all three rounds, became the last Filipino standing in the tournament featuring 140 boxers from over 20 countries following the early elimination of 51-kilogram flyweight Daryly Basadre and the second round defeat of flyweight Jenno Cabugngan Friday.

Cabugngan, of Tagbilaran, Bohol, wrapped up the first round slightly ahead of his opponent from Turkmenistan.

But he tightened up in the second, losing focus and poise and allowing the Turkmen boxer to take control.

The loss was a damper for Cabugngan, who whipped his first round opponent from Sri Lanka after nearly getting disqualified for having facial pimples which the tournament doctors initially believed was a serious skin ailment.