Jay Bryan Baricuatro poses for a photo with his silver medal. | Photo from Jay Bryan Baricuatro’s Facebook page.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Jay Bryan Baricuatro gave everything he had in the ring, but even a knockdown and a relentless performance weren’t enough to sway the judges in Astana, Kazakhstan.
The Talisay City-native was forced to settle for a silver medal in the 2025 World Boxing Cup after a highly questionable unanimous decision loss to hometown bet Sanzhar Tashkenbay on Sunday, July 6.
All five judges scored the bout 30-27 in favor of the Kazakh boxer, a result that raised eyebrows following several questionable calls, most notably, the referee’s puzzling response to a clear second-round knockdown scored by Baricuatro.
Midway through the second round, Baricuatro landed a crisp one-two combination that floored Tashkenbay. But instead of administering a mandatory count, the referee simply watched as the Kazakh quickly returned to his feet, treating the sequence as if it hadn’t happened.
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The controversy didn’t end there. In the third round, Baricuatro’s mouthguard fell out during an exchange that included several glancing blows from Tashkenbay. The referee ruled it a knockdown, this time, in favor of the hometown fighter.
Despite the setbacks, Baricuatro remained composed and aggressive throughout, relying on volume punching, well-timed counters, and constant pressure. Tashkenbay, meanwhile, used his reach to land selective clean shots and counterattacks.
Baricuatro, who trains with 10,000-BC Boxing Gym, was aiming to secure the Philippines’ lone gold medal in the tournament. Still, the silver marks a significant milestone in his amateur career.
In a Facebook post after the match, Baricuatro graciously accepted the result while vowing to come back stronger.
“Thank you to everyone who supported me — especially my family, friends, and national teammates. I did everything to win, but maybe it’s not my time yet. When I return to the Philippines, I’ll be working even harder to get what I truly deserve,” he wrote.
Baricuatro was one of two boxers from Talisay City representing the Philippines in Astana. The other, Mark Ashley Fajardo, claimed a bronze medal alongside Patricia Mae Sumalinog of the national women’s team.
Photo caption: Jay Bryan Baricuatro poses for a photo with his silver medal. | Photo from Jay Bryan Baricuatro’s Facebook page.
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