...the first female amateur boxer titlist

Gabuco PHL's first female world amateur boxing titlist By Jeremaiah Opiniano, The Filipino Connection (philstar.com) May 19, 2012

MANILA, Philippines – No member of the Philippine women’s boxing team will see action in this July’s London Olympic Games.

But Josie Gabuco made up for that heartache by eking out a come-from-behind win over Chinese Xu Shiqui, 10-9, in the 48 kg. finals of the just-concluded Women’s World Boxing Championships in Qinhuangdao, China.

After being down 3-5 by the end of round 2, Gabuco stepped on the attack and hung on to a 9-8 edge after the third round. Both Gabuco and Xu just scored a point apiece in the fourth and final round.

Gabuco’s feat is the first Philippine gold medal — female or male — at the world amateur boxing championships.

The country’s women’s boxing team has been a consistent medal winner since the 2006 world championships. In 2008, it was Alice Kate Aparri who won a bronze in the 48-kg. class at the 2010 worlds in Barbados.

Gabuco’s gold is actually her second world championships medal. At the 2008 worlds in Ningbo City, China, Gabuco won a bronze in the old 46 kg. (pinweight) class.

That same tournament in Ningbo City, Annie Albania won a silver in the light bantamweight (52 kg.) class and Analisa Cruz won a bronze in the flyweight (50 kg.) division.

At the 2006 championships in New Delhi, India, Aparri won bronze in the 48 kg. class while the now-retired Mitchel Martinez won the same medal as Aparri in the 60-kg. division. Aparri and Martinez are the first Filipina medalists in the world women’s championships.

Prior to the gold medal match, Gabuco also came from behind in her 12-7 semifinal win over Russia’s Svetlana Gnevanova, the world’s number two in the 48-kg. class.

En route to the finals, Gabuco pummeled Yairineth Gonzalez of Venezuela, 24-13, then won over Bolortuul Tumurkhuyag of Mongalia by disqualification at the 1:53 mark of round three. In the quarterfinals, Gabuco thumped Kim Klavel of Canada, 21-15.

Host China won the overall title with three golds, and a silver and a bronze medal apiece. The United States won a gold, two silver and two bronze medals; Russia snared one gold and silver medals and seven bronzes; and the United Kingdom had a gold, a silver and two bronze medals.

Like the Philippines, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea won a gold medal — their only medal in Qinhuangdao.

Prior to Qinhuangdao, Gabuco’s ranked only number 28 in the 45-48 kg. class.

Italian boxers dashed the medal hopes of the two other Filipina competitors at Qinhuangdao.

The official Olympic bet of the Philippines, Nesthy Petecio, crashed in her first match at the 49-51 kg. class with a sorry 10-11 loss to Italy’s Valeria Calabrese.

In the 54 kg. class, Alice Kate Aparri almost barged into the semifinals. After a 10-all tie with Terry Gordini of Italy, Aparri just lost on a countback that’s based on the tournament’s computer scoring system.

But for purposes of the 2012 London Olympic Games, only the eight best boxers in the 51, 60 and 75 kg. classes will compete (women’s boxing will be introduced as a medal sport for the first time in the quadrennial Olympiad).

In a local box-off three weeks before Qinhuangdao, Petecio (a natural 54 kg. competitor) went down in weight to beat Aparri to become the country’s official bet for an Olympic berth in the 51 kg. class.

The Filipino Connection is a newly-opened Philippine newspaper in Batangas. Its sports section reports on national and international sports competitions.