Olympian Rogen Ladon and Aira Villegas outhustled their respective rivals to barge into the semifinals while three Filipino fighters succumbed to their opponents in the 2024 Boxam Elite Tournament in La Nucia, Spain on Wednesday, Jan. 31.

Ladon, who competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics, escaped past Scott Richards of Wales with a close 3-2 decision in the men’s 51kg even while Villegas overpowered Irish foe Caitlin Fryers with a unanimous 5-0 decision to advance to the next round of the women’s 50kg division.

The victory earned Ladon a semis bout against Mexican Ari Bonilla, who earned an opening round bye before claiming the scalp of Hungarian Attila Bernath, 4-1.

Villegas, for her part, arranged a semis clash with England’s Kelsey Oakley, who also made her title campaign felt with a 5-0 thrashing of Hungary’s Petra Mezei.

Not so fortunate were Mark Ashley Fajardo, Ronaldez Chavez Jr. and Riza Pasuit, who bowed out of contention in their respective weight classes.

Though fresh from a 5-0 victory over Belgian Yassine Arfa the day before, Fajardo lost his touch and yielded to England’s Cameron McKay in a close 3-2 decision in the second round of the men’s 63.5kg.

Chavez also stumbled in the men’s 71kg after bowing to Uzbekistan’s Asadullaev Khavaskbek, 5-0, even as Pasuit absorbed a 4-1 beating at the hands of Kazakhstan’s Aidana Zabynbekova in the women’s 60kg.

Meanwhile, 2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Nesthy Petecio and Hergie Bacyadan are set to open their respective bids in the next few days.

Petecio, who seeks to bolster her bid of a return trip to the Olympics, is scheduled to clash with France’s Sthelyne Grosy in the opening round of the eight-player women’s 57kg, while Bacyadan, who transitioned from becoming a vovinam world champion last year, earned an opening round bye in the women’s 75kg and is set to collide with the winner between Hungary’s Veronika Nakota and Mexico’s Citlalli Ortiz.