MANILA – Cagayan de Oro’s Eljay Pamisa has barged into the finals of The Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) Junior and Youth Championships at the Al Hossein Sports City in Amman, Jordan.
Pamisa, 17, hammered out a spectacular win over Iran’s Nima Beygi Thursday, using effective counter attacks and deft footwork enroute to his golden showdown on Monday.
He faces tough Abduvali Buriboev of Uzbekistan in the gold medal round of the event which drew 305 boxers from the region. Pamisa was to take on the other semifinal winner, Anand Yadav of India, in the final. But a protest launched by Buriboev’s camp was upheld, sending the Uzbek instead against the Filipino fighter from the other semis bout.
The young bantamweight, who fights in the 54 kg category, was a silver medalist in the Asian Junior Championships in Al Fujaira, UAE in 2019 when he was in the 46 kg class.
Other members of the team are junior boxers (15-16 years old) Robert Malunoc Jr. (46 kg), Justine Valero (48 kg) and Van Hendrich Abing (50 kg).
Youth boxers (16-17 years old) are Reymond Lofranco (48 kg), John Wayne Vicera (51 kg) and Pamisa.
Coaches are Elmer Pamisa and Gerson Nietes. Team Manager is ABAP secretary-general Marcus Manalo.
Appointed by ASBC as technical delegate for the tournament is Karina Picson. Also in the event is 3-star international referee-judge Rolando Jose.
Meanwhile, the ASBC held its Congress and Elections Saturday at the Marriott Bonvoy Hotel in the same city.
Representing the Philippines were Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines president Ed Picson and secretary-general Manalo.
Thailand’s Pichai Chunhavajira was elected as the new ASBC president besting his opponent Saken Polatov of Uzbekistan, 18 votes to 11.
Picson is one of the close advisers of the prominent Thai businessman-sportsman. (PR)
