Philippine flyweight Violito Payla stopped giant-killer Yang Bo of China in the third round Sunday to become the first Filipino to reach the boxing finals in the 15th Asian Games, local media reported today.

Payla, fighting with a sprained wrist, went toe-to-toe with the Chinese from the opening bell, taking a slim 12-9 lead after the first round, said a report by The Manila Times daily.

But the 27-year-old Filipino finally got Yang's number in the next two rounds, connecting repeatedly to end the fight after building a 40-20 lead.

The report said Payla is hoping to become the third Filipino flyweight to win the division. Ernesto Sajo won in Manila in 1954, the year boxing was introduced in the Games. Forty years later, Elias Recaido won during the Hiroshima Games.

Payla will fight defending champion Somjit Jongjohor of Thailand for the gold medal on Tuesday.

On Saturday, the Philippines missed two opportunities to win its first gold medal when it lost final matches in billiards and taekwondo.

Going into the 10th day of the Games, the Filipinos have so far collected only three silver and two bronze medals-all of them in tae kwon do and billiards.