Monday, October 29, 2007 Payla makes Round of 16 By Charles Raymond A. Maxey
VIOLITO Payla of the Philippines punched his way to a masterful 29-15 victory over Khalid Said of England Saturday to reach the Round of 16 of the World Boxing Championships in Chicago.
The win, a brilliant follow-up to his referee-stopped-contest-outscored win over Andrew Selby of Wales in the flyweight division, put Payla within a victory of earning a slot to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Boxers competing in the event need to make it to the quarterfinals in order to gain an Olympic slot, and Payla has a big chance of earning a return trip to the Olympics after first making it to the Athens Games in 2004.
Harry Tañamor and Genebert Basadre were also scheduled to step into the ring Saturday.
Tañamor was to fight Nasir Mohammad of Wales in a light flyweight showdown, while Basadre was also aiming for a Round of 16 berth in the lightweight class against Canadian Ibrahim Kamel.
The Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) is eyeing to send two boxers to Beijing in the tournament.
Meanwhile, McWilliams Arroyo of Puerto Rico was one victory from qualifying for the Beijing Olympics after beating Ukraine's Vitaliy Volkov.
Arroyo, the middleweight champion from the 2007 Pan American Games, won by a score of 23-14.
"I'm not happy just yet," Arroyo said. "It would be a dream come true to make it to the Olympics."
Arroyo fed off of the energy of local Puerto Rican fans who filled the UIC Pavilion and have supported him throughout the championships so far.
"Chicago has proven to be a great spot to put on any world class event," Arroyo said.
US flyweight Rau'shee Warren, who competed in the Athens games, beat Mexico's Avila Juarez Braulio, 23-3.
US middleweight Shawn Estrada defeated Ryota Murata of Japan, sealing the win with a 17-12 comeback in the final minute of the bout. US featherweight Raynell Williams won over Kazakhstan's Mazat Ospanov after struggling at the beginning of the bout. Williams won the match 28-9. (With a report from AP)
