MANILA, Philippines - The Road to Rio is over for Filipino flyweight boxer Ian Clark Bautista after he lost a 29-28 decision to Spain's José Kelvin de la Nieve Linares of Spain on Friday, June 17 at the AIBA World Olympic Qualification event in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Bautista, 21, of Bacolod received a tough draw in Linares, a two-time Olympian at the 2008 and 2012 Games, but ABAP executive director Ed Picson thinks the Filipino should've gotten won the second and third rounds and earned the decision.
"But judges only gave him round 3," Picson tweeted of the 2015 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist. "Gallant stand by Ian."
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The Philippines has one boxer remaining - welterweight Eumir Marcial - to add to the two boxers the Philippines has already qualified for the Rio Games.
Marcial, 20, of Zamboanga City will face Germany's Abbas Baraou in the afternoon session on Saturday, June 18. The southpaw Marcial needs 3 wins to join Filipino lightweight Charly Suarez and light flyweight Rogen Ladon at the Olympics.
Boxing has traditionally been the Philippines' best Olympic event, with 5 of the country's 9 medals coming in that event. – Rappler.com