LONE Filipina standing Davao del Sur native Nesthy Alcayde Petecio cruised through the quarter-finals after dominating Maryna Malovana of Ukraine in their featherweight fight of the Aiba World Women's Championships at the Halla Gymnasium in Jeju Island, South Korea Thurday evening.
The 22-year-old Petecio hacked out a unanimous decision victory over a much taller Malovana, 3-0. Judges Gerardo Poggi of Argentina, Jung Sook Cho of South Korea and Jingjing Zhang of China all scored the four-round fight, 40-36, in favor of Petecio who started her amateur boxing career with the Abap-Calinan chapter of Davao City several years ago.
She also registered shutout wins over Sweden's Linnea Strandell and Manel Meharzi of Algeria in her past two bouts.
Amateur Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (Abap) executive director Ed Picson, in an e-mail to Sun.Star Davao Friday, said: "The two other Filipina girls, Josie Gabuco and Irish Magno along with team manager Karina Picson shouted their voices hoarse in cheering as Petecio threw effective counter combinations at her charging opponent."
Coach Roel Velasco, in a Facebook chat conversation with Sun.Star Davao late Thursday evening, said: "Nacontrol po ni Nesthy ang laban po mula first round hanggang last round po Mam. Ang target namin sa body. Pinaglaruan po ni Nesthy last round po kasi sabi ko first one minute counter-punch ang gagawin ni Nesthy. Ang last one minute diskarte nya na po."
Petecio will next face Qiong Lu of China Friday evening. The latter also eked out a 3-0 unanimous decision win over Ouyn Nergui of Mongolia.
Velasco said they're ready for the Chinese newbie, saying: "Target to the body po ang unang gagawin namin kay Lu at counter-punch or counter-attack po."
He added, "Nasa condition naman si Nesthy kaya isama nyo nalang po sya sa panalangin nyo."
Petecio, in a separate chat, said she hasn't played with the Chinese yet but she has seen her fight in the ongoing Aiba Women's World tournament that attracted some 280 boxers from 67 countries.
Petecio underwent light training on Friday morning before the scheduled weigh-in.
She earlier said to have been feeling the pressure after Aiba World light flyweight Josie Gabuco and flyweight Irish Magno were booted out in their respective first round fights.
Petecio must win against the Chinese to enter the semi-finals and be assured of a bronze.