Philippines’ Nesthy Petecio celebrates after defeating China’s China’s Xu Zichun in their women’s 57 kg quarterfinal boxing match at the Paris Olympics 2024, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/John Locher)

There was a sea of difference in boxing mastery in the first two rounds.

Nesthy Petecio was all over Xu Zichun in their quarterfinal bout, hosing down her Chinese foe with a variety of lefts to assure the Philippines of another boxing bronze Sunday (Manila time), this time in the women’s 57kg class in the Paris Olympics.

Petecio was markedly superior against Xu, unveiling a left-hand menu that included straights and overhands to shut out the Chinese in the first two rounds at North Paris Arena.

Petecio could have opted to sail through the third round, having reached safe waters there, but she decided to engage a suddenly active Xu, who pressed the attack in an attempt to reclaim the advantage that clearly belonged to the Philippines.

Philippines’ Nesthy Petecio celebrates after defeating China’s Xu Zichun in their women’s 57 kg quarterfinal boxing match at the Paris Olympics 2024,, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

After absorbing a Xu flurry that had little effect, Petecio slowly threw two left that found their mark and then fired an upper cut for good measure.
Petecio wound up with a 5-0 victory, falling just two judges short of a complete shutout.

Petecio and Aira Villegas are now in the semifinals, giving the Philippine team at least two bronzes.

Wins in their semifinal duels will assure both fighters of a silver.

Villegas will face Turkey’s Buse Naz Cakiroglu in the semifinals on Aug. 7 (Manila time).

Petecio’s semifinal foe is Poland’s Julia Szeremeta, who also came up with a shutout against flashy Puerto Rican Ashleyann Lozada in their quarterfinal duel.

The boxing team has three of its fighters already sidelined, with Eumir Marcial and Hergie Bacyadan falling in their first bouts and Carlo Paalam dropping his quarterfinal match.