Villegas displays nerves of steel

A bright future beckons Aira Villegas despite bowing to Buse Naz Cakiroglu of Turkey via unanimous decision in the semifinals of the women’s boxing 50-kilogram class at the Paris Olympics early Wednesday at the Roland Garros Stadium.

The 29-year-old Villegas delivered a respectable performance against an aggressive, stronger, and more experienced Cakiroglu. The match could have sent her to the gold medal but against 19th Asian Games champion Wu Yu of China.

The 29-year-old Villegas delivered a commendable performance against an aggressive, stronger, and more experienced Cakiroglu. The match could have secured her a spot in the gold medal bout against 19th Asian Games champion Wu Yu of China. 

Cakiroglu was no easy foe. She is regarded as a national hero in Turkey, after becoming the first female boxer from her country to win an Olympic medal when she emerged as a runner-up in the Tokyo Games three years ago.

She is also a two-time world champion and a four-time European champion, proving that she has what it takes to dominate an Olympic greenhorn like Villegas in a very crucial match in the world’s biggest and most prestigious athletic conclave.

Despite this being her Olympic debut, Villegas displayed nerves of steel. The pride of Tacloban City was impressive when she defeated African Championship champion Yasmine Mar Mouttaki of Morocco in the Round of 32, African Games supremo Roumaysa Boualam of Algeria in the Round of 16, and World Championships bronze medalist Wassila Lkhadiri of France in the quarterfinals to assure herself of at least a bronze medal – the country’s third following the golden double of Carlos Yulo in the gymnastics competition over the weekend.

With a good run in the Olympics, Villegas is expected to be a force to be reckoned with in future international events like the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand next year, the 20th Asian Games in Japan in 2026 and, possibly, the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.