By Lily O. Ramos
MANILA, (PNA)– Filipino bantamweight Mario Fernandez on Thursday marched into the second round of the 56 kg division of the Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) world boxing championship in Almaty, Kazakstan.
According to the latest AIBA calendar, Fernandez won on points versus Guyana’s Iram Khan to arrange a second round meeting with fourth-seed Shiva Thapa of India on Saturday.
Fernandez won the nod of the three fight judges with two of them scoring 30-27 and 30-26 in his favor.
Fernandez has now joined two other winning boxers—light flyweight Mark Anthony Barriga and flyweight Roldan Boncales in the next round.
Barriga will trade punches against fifth seed Cuba’s Yosbany Vieta Soto on Saturday while Boncales will match up Friday with Ri Chung Il of North Korea in the 52 kg division.