MANILA – Negrense amateur boxer Ian Clark Bautista had a resounding start to his bid for a slot in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at the Asia-Oceania Boxing Qualification Tournament in Amman, Jordan.
The Binalbagan, Negros Occidental native cruised to a close 3-2 victory over former world youth champion Hayato Tsutsumi of Japan in the men’s featherweight division (57 kg).
The 25-year-old Bautista dominated his foe, a 2016 World Youth champion and two-time Asian Youth winner, in the second and third rounds on Wednesday to narrowly gain the nod of three of the five judges.
“Talagang nag-focus ako sa laban na ito. Malakas at magaling talaga siya pero talagang pinilit ko,” said Bautista after the match. “Alam ko pagkakataon na para makapunta sa Olympics.”
Next in line for Bautista is Thai boxer Chatchai Butdee who defeated him in the semifinals of the 30th Southeast Asian Games in Manila last December.
Bautista needs to pull off two more wins to assure a berth in the Tokyo Olympics, which is in danger of being cancelled due to the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak./PN
