HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AIRA VILLEGAS!
And what a present!
Aira Villegas is now one win away from a guaranteed podium finish, and she did this against Algeria's Roumaysa Boualam.
She went 5-0 in the first and third rounds to set up a showdown with France's Wassila Lkhadiri.
Another French fighter.
Hmmm...
Anyway, I like the fact that the two fighters are brawlers. I like how the Filipino fighters have taken a prerogative to start strong because I have yet to see a match that came from behind. Villegas reminds me of Nonito Donaire, especially her footwork. The Filipino Flash is known for his misdirections and she stops an attempt midway and then dances with her arms swaying when she's oozing with swagger.
Boualam is the more accomplished fighter among the two, especially with her slew of African Games and Championship medals. Still, it's hard for her to get back on a girl celebrating her birthday and on a 5-0 first-round high.
Villegas is on the wrong side of 20, so she needs to pull all stops against the French fighter. Again, it helps that the Philippine contingent came in with two silvers and a bronze medal in the Tokyo Games because our wins and losses have been fair. That said, I saw one of Lkhadiri's YouTube clips and she's built like Boualam. This is not a good thing because brawlers have busy fists, and this as well as the hometown advantage could be something we have to check out.
That's why Villegas needs to replicate the good things she did in this match. She needs to start strong and finish even stronger.
GO FOR GOLD, AIRA VILLEGAS!!!
