MAASIN CITY SPORTS 2015 YEARENDER PART I
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 31 Dec 2015
The year 2015 is about to end. Many sports events happened in Maasin City the past year with yours truly as City Mayor. There were several sports activities participated in by the city and its athletes.
Sporty Pope Francis, who loved football, basketball and tango, visited the Philippines. We were part of the delegation of the Maasin Cathedral during the Pope's sojourn to the typhoon ravaged Tacloban and attended his Holy Mass at the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport on January 17, 2015 joining 300,000 pilgrims from all over the Philippines including Typhoon Yolanda survivors braving the threat of Typhoon Amang.
The city government of Maasin welcomed World Boxing Organization junior welterweight champion Jason "El Ni?o" Pagara. This is the place where he first learned the basics of boxing and we gave him a plaque of appreciation and cash incentive for defeating Mexican Cesar "El Dolar" Chavez during the Pinoy Pride 29 in Davao City. The occasion coincided with the Love Day of the city hall at the city gymnasium on February 13, 2015.
Hometown advantage plus excellent fighting with an unblemished record pushed Adrian Estrella to stop resilient Adones Aguelo of Matin-aw, Maasin City in the 10th round in Los Mochis, Mexico on February 14, 2015. Estrella defended his WBC Central American Boxing Federation (FECARBOX) super featherweight title and maintained his immaculate record of 21-0 with 19 KOs as he dominated the fight from the start. The Maasin City boxer defended well but appeared hurt in the third round.
The city government of Maasin honors The Prince of Philippine boxing Albert Pagara during the flag raising ceremony of the city employees at the Maasin City Gym. This was in recognition to his successful International Boxing Federation intercontinental superbantamweight title defense when he stopped Mexican challenger Rodolfo "Fofo" Hernandez in the fifth round during the 30th edition of the Pinoy Pride series at the Araneta Coliseum last March 28.
After more than five years of waiting, Manny Pacquiao have finally engaged with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in the Battle for Greatness on May 3, 2015 (Philippine time). It was a battle but many did not consider it as the real Fight of the Century. As usual we had a free viewing at the City Gym where it was full-packed. The pro-Pacquiao crowd booed Mayweather when Jimmy Lennon, Jr. announced the scores and declared him winner by unanimous decision.
Scouting is a passion which I considered as the same level with sports. Both scouting and sports develop the overall personality of the children and the youth and keep them away from illegal drugs and other vices. On May 20-22, I was in Tagum City, Davao del Norte with the Scouting leaders all over the country to attend the Annual National Council Meeting led by Vice President Jejomar Binay, President of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines. I was awarded as Most Outstanding Council Chairman by VP Binay and Members of the BSP National Executive Board.
The City of Maasin conducted an Open Invitational Boxing Tournament dubbed "Engkwentro sa Mayo Halad sa Adlaw ni Mayor" at the City Integrated Bus and Jeepney Terminal on May 26, 2015. It featured 22 bouts in the kids, school boys, junior and elite categories from Tacloban, Leyte Sports Academy, Matalom, Tomas Oppus and Maasin.
Originally scheduled for June 12, 2015, the boxing brothers Jason and Albert Pagara were set to fight against separate Mexican foes in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. But their fights were rescheduled to August 7 which is very near to the 15th Maasin City Charter Day which is August 10 and City Fiesta 2015 which is August 15. I have to be on these city events because this is my last year as city mayor, this being my last term. So I went to proceed with my travel to Dubai together with my wife Chona and sister Mabel. We stayed there from June 10-13, 2015.
The boxers from Team Cebu City showed great strength and determination in winning as overall champion of the boxing tournament in the 55th Founding Anniversary of the Province of Southern Leyte at the Maasin City Bus Terminal. Cebu City won 8 golds and 3 bronze medals to emerge the No. 1 team after the finals on June 28, 2015. While ALA Gym boxers were not far behind as second placer overall as the six boxers they sent all won gold medals.
In the occasion of the 55th Southern Leyte Founding Anniversary, International Boxing Federation intercontinental super bantamweight champion Prince Albert Pagara was one of the four awardees as Outstanding Southern Leyte?o. Pagara was awarded as a Young Achiever in the field of sports and was nominated by this writer. I enumerated his boxing records including the immaculate amateur fights when I introduced him. His award was given on June 29, 2015 by Gov. Roger Mercado, Cong. Damian Mercado, Board Member Atty. Abelardo Almario and this writer.
About a hundred thousand people lined up the streets during the hero's welcome for International Boxing Federation intercontinental superbantamweight champion Prince Albert Pagara. It was August 15, 2015 the fiesta of Our Lady of Assumption, Patroness of the Diocese of Maasin. It also coincided with the Ajonay Festival streetdancing as the pickup vehicle carrying the Maasin City favorite boxer and this writer slowly moved with the flow of the festival dancing.
Albert chalked up a very impressive first round knockout victory over an ill-fated Mexican Jesus Rios and successfully defended his International Boxing Federation junior featherweight title. Pagara at the onset floored Rios with powerful punches and then finished off the Mexican with his blazing guns prompting the stoppage of the bout. On the other hand Jason snatched a unanimous decision win over Mexican Ramiro Alcaraz with the score of 77-73, 76-74, 78-72.
Adones Aguelo failed to get a fair scoring in his fight against Australian Will Tomlinson August 14, 2015 at the Melbourne Pavilion, Flemington, Victoria, Australia. He lost a controversial majority decision which drew jeers from the crowd who were not satisfied by the outcome of the fight. Two judges favored Tomlinson 97-94 and 97-93 while one judge called it a 95-95 draw for a majority decision. Triple world champion Jeff Fenech, who was the promoter of the event, was among those who were shocked by what he said was a hometown decision.
Prince Albert Pagara and Adones Aguelo were special guests during the Maasin City Fiesta Boxing at the City Gym last August 16, 2015. Pagara, fresh from his one-round demolition of Mexican Jesus Chito Rios in Duel in Dubai II. Aguelo came all the way from Australia where he battered Will Tomlison but lost a controversial hometown decision. He was awarded for his heroic effort. In the main event of the evening, Jonathan Ricablanca of Bislig, Surigao del Sur won by split decision over Ryan Tampus of Bato Leyte by scores of 96-94, 96-94, 94-96 in the ten-round main event.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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