Petecio debuts with unanimous win vs Congolese; Nievarez eyes semis

True to her word, Nesthy Petecio, the Philippines’ featherweight bet in the XXXII Olympiad, took the fight to her taller opponent from the Democratic Republic of Congo Saturday, scoring a comfortable 5-0 decision in the 54-57kg category at the start of the boxing competitions at the Kokugikan Arena Saturday.

- TITO S. TALAO

The outcome of the Round of 32 preliminary was never in doubt for the 29-year-old Davao native, the reigning AIBA World champion, as she negated the longer reach of Marcelat Sakobi Matshu by wading inside and connecting with point-scoring stabs to the head and body.

Except for the American judge who saw it differently, Petecio garnered four 10s in the first round despite getting warned for throwing a punch with an open palm.

Even the dissenting opinion from among the officials at sideline was swayed though by Petecio in the next two rounds as she effectively fended off Matshu’s sudden aggressiveness which resulted in a warning for tying up the Filipina boxer following a furious exchange in the second round.

The final score was 30-27 from four, including the referee, and 29-28 from the American judge

“Nanibago po ako nong first round kasi matagal akong walang laban (I was tentative in the first round as I had no fight for), more than one year,” said Petecio. “Kahit papano, malaking bagay yung naging camp namin sa Thailand (But it was a big advantage that we had a camp in Thailand).”

After sizing up the Congolese at the start of the second, Petecio, on the instructions of Australian coaching consultant Don Abnett, started working inside and counter-punching to neutralize Matshu’s reach advantage.