Saturday, November 03, 2007 Hopes aflame with Harry
AFTER assuring the Philippines a shot at the 2008 Beijing Olympics boxing, Filipino Harry Tañamor kept the hope of the Filipinos for a medal in the International Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) World Boxing Championships with a win in the quarterfinal round yesterday at the University of Illinois-Chicago Pavilion.
Tañamor scored a 17-7 win over local favorite Luis Yañez of the USA team to assure himself a bronze medal in the light flyweight division in the tournament participated by Iaba member countries.
The 29-year-old Zamboangueño used his superior speed and movement to frustrate the favorite Yañez, to get out of a tight situation and control the tempo of the match using a hit-and-run tactic—a mark of an experienced fighter in the amateur ranks.
Last Thursday, Tañamor insured himself a slot to the Olympics when he defeated Sherali Dostiev of Tajikistan after the jury decided to break the 4-4 score after four rounds to the Filipino fighter.
Against the Pan-American Games gold medalist Yañez, Tañamor seemed to be a well-oiled fighting machine, frustrating and whipping the American bet.
Tañamor also brought bronze medals in his campaigns at the 2001 World Championship in Belfast, Ireland and in 2003 tournament held in Bangkok, Thailand.
His next assignment today is Anmat Ruenroeng of Thailand, who marched into the semifinal round after disposing Danielyan Hovhannes of Armenia, 18-6, in the other quarterfinal match.
And just like Tañamor, Ruenroeng, Yañez and Hovhannes are also an outright entry for their respective countries to the quadrennial games. The other fighters who also gained outright entry to the Olympics are Georgiy Chygayev of Ukraine, Nordine Oubaali of France, Ireland’s Patrick Barnes and defending champion Zou Shiming of China. (RCM)
