By Ivan Stewart Saldajeno | Philippine News Agency
Aira Villegas’ Cinderella run in the women’s 50-kilogram boxing division of the Paris Olympics came to an end early Wednesday (Philippine Standard Time) after losing in the semifinals to Turkiye’s Buse Naz Çakıroğlu as the entire boxing event shifted to the Roland Garros Stadium in downtown Paris.
Despite the defeat, Villegas is taking home the bronze medal.
Cakiroglu was just too much for Villegas, rightfully proving why she was third seed in the competition.
Çakıroğlu began the fight’s first round with more accurate shots, and a right straight at the 2:22 mark of the round wobbled Villegas, prompting referee Wade Peterson to step in and give her the standing eight-count.
Villegas thought she had her moment just before the final minute of Round 2 when she seemed like she knocked Çakıroğlu down with a right hook.
However, Peterson, whose scorecards in bouts involving Filipino fighters as a judge have been criticized by some boxing fans, just ruled it a slip, and all five judges still gave the round to the Turkish fighter.
Villegas could still not solve Çakıroğlu’s puzzle in Round 3 as the judges all scored perfect 30s to the latter, who thereafter will face top-seeded Chinese contender Wu Yu, a split-decision (4-1) winner over Kazakhstan’s Nazym Kyzaibay, for the gold early Saturday PST.
Fight judges Radoslav Simon and Manuel Vilarino both thought Villegas was overpowered, as they credited one round each in the bout as if she was knocked down.
Simon gave the 10-8 in Round 1, where Villegas was given a standing eight, while Vilarino did a similar score in Round 3.