By REY C. LACHICA
PARIS – Aira Villegas tried to put up a different narrative in her grudge rematch with Turkish Naz Buse Cakiroglu but the latter proved too classy, scoring a 5-0 win in semis of the women’s 50kg class in the Paris Olympics on a humid Tuesday night, Aug. 6, at the Roland Garros Stadium here.
True to her promise, Villegas tried to dominate the fight early but the Turkish managed to evade her combos while occasionally tagging the Filipino fighter with vicious head and body blows.
So overpowering was the Turkish that Villegas was given an standing 8-count after Cakiroglu uncorked a 1-2 combination to the head.
She was in control of the match from there on to earn the nods of the majority of the judges and secure the right to face Chinese top seed Wu Yu in the finals on Friday, Aug. 9.
Villegas managed to send the Turkish reeling with a vicious but the referee declared it as a slip.
The Turkish also beat Villegas in the quarters of the World Championships two years ago in Istanbul, Turkey.
Wu beat Kazakhstan Nasym Kyzaibay in the other semis, 4-1.
Despite the loss, Villegas will be going home a proud winner of a bronze medal.
In the Tokyo Games, the country won its breakthrough gold medal through the heroics of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz.
Boxers Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam also bagged a silver each while Eumir Marcial added a bronze.
