Filipino boxer Aira Villegas kicked off the 5-member boxing team and defeated Morroco’s Yasmine Mouttaki by unanimous decision in the Paris Olympics Boxing event.
Aira and Mouttaki gave everything they had during the match. The five judges present scored the bout with the following points: 30-27, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, all in favor of Villegas. Aira Villegas’ decided victory gives the Philippine Olympics boxing team a good start.
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The Filipino southpaw-styled boxer took control early during the earlier rounds and later withstood Mouttaki’s all-out assault. Villegas sets the tone of the bout by relying on jabs to earn a score. This was an impressive feat, as Mouttaki was the 2023 World Championship bronze medalist. Furthermore, the latter was unable to close the gap until the second round.
This was Aira Villegas’s first Olympics fight, and sharply leaned on her strength to stand even against Mouttaki. This decision also helps her defend her opponent’s punishing returns.
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In an interview with One Sports, Villegas said they have previously sparred before. However, in the actual Olympics boxing event, the experience is vastly different.
“Yung susunod na kalaban, actually naka-sparring ko siya. Siyempre, iba yung sabi ko nga, sa sparring, iba yung sparring sa laro. Magkaiba talaga yung galaw,” she said.
After this bout, Villegas will be up against Roumaysa Boualam of Algeria. They will collide on August 2. The day after Villegas’s birthday. Whoever will win this bout will face either Wassila Lkhadiri of France or Ireland’s Daina Moorehouse.
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