ALICE KATE APARRI

Alice Kate Aparri and Josie Gabuco hammered their way past opponents from Thailand, storming into the finals of the 1st MVP International Boxing Friendship Cup at the PICC Forum Tent.

Also advancing to the championships were Gerson Nietes, Glicerio Catolico III and Delfin Boholst.

Nietes beat Wu Rongguo of China on points in the 51kgs class, Catolico ousted Tso Seng Yu of Hong Kong, 13-3, via referee stopped contest in the 54kgs, and Boholst crushed Wei Jen Chang of Chinese Taipei via referee stopped contest, 10-2.

Egged on by the hometown crowd, Aparri ousted Sopida Satumram, 3-1, in the 48kgs, and Gabuco eliminated Dueannapha Ngalam, 1-0, in the 46kgs.

Rey Saludar, Recky Dulay and Wilfredo Lopez, however, were not as fortunate and lost to their respective Thai rivals.

Saludar vowed to Amnaj Ruenroeng, 3-7, in the 51kgs. Dulay lost to Donchai Thatl, 7-8, in the 54kgs, and Lopez succumbed to Apichet Saensit, 0-3, in the 69kgs.

The win set up Aparri for a winner-take-all match with Shiqi Xu of China while Gabuco forged a title showdown with Tu Fen Weng of Chinese Taipei.

Xu crushed Un Mou Kuan of Macau, 13-3, and Tu clobbered Mak Kit also of Macau, 16-5.

“Nakaganti rin ako sa kanya. Tinalo niya ako sa finals noon 2007 SEA Games sa Thailand. Nabawian ko rin siya,” said Aparri after scoring her second consecutive win after beating Kaad Kodituwakku of Sri Lanka, 9-5.

Aparri refused to comment on her chances against Xu.

“Hindi ko pa siya nakitang lumaban. First time ko siyang makakalaban. Pipilitin manalo para mabigyan uli ng karangalan ang bansa at hindi mapahiya sa akin mga kababayan,” said the 25-year-old boxer from Baguio.

The loss was Satumram’s second to a Filipino since bowing to Annie Albania in the finals in the Asian Indoor Games in Vietnam last year.

Thai coach Chaichoompol Chamnanmark graciously accepted the verdict and praised the Filipino.