Laurente stumbles in Paris qualifier


At a glance

  • The Philippines suffered its second casualty in the 2nd World Boxing Qualification for Paris Olympics on Sunday, May 26, after Criztian Pitt Laurente absorbed a first-round drubbing from his Kazakhstan foe in Bangkok, Thailand.


The Philippines suffered its second casualty in the 2nd World Boxing Qualification for Paris Olympics on Sunday, May 26, after Criztian Pitt Laurente absorbed a first-round drubbing from his Kazakhstan foe in Bangkok, Thailand.

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Criztian Pitt Laurente makes an early exit in the 2nd World Boxing Qualification for Paris Olympics. (Criztian Laurente Facebook)

Competing in the men’s 63.5kg, the 24-year-old General Santos City pro fighter couldn’t muster enough energy to outduel the more aggressive Mukhammedsabyr Bazarbay Uulu and yielded via unanimous 5-0 decision.

“It’s unfortunate that he couldn’t execute the fight plan,” said Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines secretary general Marcus Manalo on Laurente, who holds an undefeated 12-0 record including seven knockouts in the pro ranks.

"We thought he had advantages that he could have capitalized especially with his speed, lateral movement and hit-and-move style, but the Kazakh was more aggressive throughout. He's the only one in their men's team who hasn't qualified yet and that probably pushed him more,” he added.

Laurente’s defeat came a day after Rogen Ladon made a first-round exit in the men’s 51kg.

The latest development leaves Hergie Bacyadan and Carlo Paalam as the only Filipinos left fighting for slots in the last qualifier for Paris.

Bacyadan, who only last November won the country’s first gold medal in the World Vovinam Championship, currently competes Dunia Martinez Das of Spain in the opening round of the women’s 75kg.

Paalam, for his part, returns to the ring on Tuesday, May 28, when he clashes with a familiar foe in Turkmenistan’s Shukur Ovezov in the second round of the men’s 57kg.