Norlan Petecio caps Asian Games boxing with a Round of 16 finish

Norlan Petecio’s 20th Asian Games boxing campaign ended after he lost to home bet Sewon Okazawa by unanimous decision, 5-0, in the men’s 70-kilogram weight class on Sept. 24, 2026, at Nishio Gymnasium in Japan.

The younger brother of two-time Olympic medalist Nesthy Petecio struggled to penetrate the Japanese pugilist’s highly mobile defense, failing to win a single round in a lopsided affair.

Petecio failed to replicate his flawless unanimous decision win over Cambodia’s Sophors Vy during the preliminary round, succumbing to the more experienced and clinical Okazawa from the get-go.

The Japanese bet kicked off the clash in style, tagging Petecio with several left hooks backed by a quick shuffle step to cut the distance.

A split second after ducking under Petecio’s guard, Okazawa scored some light uppercuts, followed by a right jab that showcased his full offensive arsenal in just the first round.

Petecio had his moments, especially in the second round after landing a clean 1-2 jab-straight combination, but Okazawa still controlled the pace of the fight with his slick in-and-out movement.

Okazawa switched things up midway through the second round as he focused on Petecio’s body, which eventually slowed him down.

Unfortunately, those shots to the midsection took a toll on Petecio, who wasn’t able to carry his momentum after that clean 1-2 combination.

Knowing that he was up 2-0 on the scorecards, the tactical Japanese boxer fought a safe third round, parrying Petecio’s incoming attacks with side-to-side footwork while picking his spots to throw timely jab counters.

Despite the loss, the PHL delegation will still have a chance to deliver its first boxing gold, as Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, Riza Pasuit and Junmilardo Ogayre are all still in medal contention.