Papua New Guinea lightweight boxer John Ume has won his first round bout at the Asia-Oceania Olympic qualifying tournament in Jordan.
The 23-year-old, who was a first round loser at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, won the first round on all five judges against Saddiq Nassim from Saudi Arabia and repeated the feat in round two, where he landed with a right cross that triggered a standing eight count for his opponent.
With Nassim needing a knockout in the final round, Ume handed him another standing eight count halfway through before the PNG man forced a stoppage with a little under a minute to go with a big right hand that dropped Saddiq to the floor.
What a shot to win it for Papua New Guinea's John Ume!
— Olympic Channel (@olympicchannel) March 3, 2020
Follow the #boxing #roadtotokyo2020 LIVE https://t.co/iP82wKAkQG pic.twitter.com/prKG0CNT7H
Ume will fight Mongolia's third seed Chinzorig Baatrarsukh in the next round.
There was no such luck for the other Pacific Island fighters on day one of competition in Amman.
American Samoa middleweight George Tanoa was beaten by Maikhel Roberrd Muskita from Indonesia on all five judges.
Indonesia's 19 year-old middleweight Muskita is controlling this round against Tanoa of American Samoa, who are you backing to win the bout?
— Olympic Channel (@olympicchannel) March 3, 2020
Watch LIVE #boxing https://t.co/iP82wKAkQG pic.twitter.com/SI90DiDhAL
Fijian lightweight Jone Koroilagilagi Davule suffered the same fate against Atichai Phoemsap from Thailand, while Tuvalu's light heavyweight Navosa Iolata also against Paulo Aokuso from Australia.
