PHILIPPINES TOPS TAIPEI CITY INTERNATIONAL BOXING WITH 5 GOLDS
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 03 Sep 2012
Philippine amateur boxing under Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan is on the right track. The PLDT-ABAP boxing team won five gold medals out of the five boxers who entered the finals of the 2nd Taipei City Cup International Boxing Tournament at the Taiwan Coliseum.
The Philippines topped the international competition with Maricris Igam, Irish Magno, Rogen Ladon, Mario Fernandez and Joel Bacho winning all their finals assignment in compelling fashion.
The tournament attracted 12 countries including Japan, Mongolia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Korea, Singapore, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau, host Taiwan and the Philippines. Japan, host Chinese Taipei and Vietnam were the favorites to prevail in this tourney, but the Filipino boys and girls showed determination to rule over the rest.
Igam, a Puerto Princesa native, won his light flyweight bout outscoring Nguyen Thi Luong of Vietnam, 25-10. She won the Best Female Boxer award of the tournament for the convincing win.
Magno of Iloilo City snatched a referee stopped contest (RSC) victory over Taipei's Pin Meng-Chie. She hit a solid left blow to the face of the Taiwanese in the third round for an 8-count and then bloodying her nose in the fourth canto for the stoppage.
Ladon outboxed Japanese Kenshiro Teraji, 19-10. He won even if he was given a 2-point penalty for ducking in the 3rd round. The Bago City boxer was Mark Anthony Barriga's main sparring partner in the preparation for the London Olympics.
Bukidnon boxer Fernandez dominated the taller Lin Yu-Che of Taiwan for a 19-9 triumph. Bacho of Mandaluyong sealed PLDT-ABAP?s perfect finals golden conquest with a 15-8 win over Japanese Syuichiro Yoshino.
The other two members of the fighting delegation were Janice Vallares, who got a bronze in the lightweight category, and Darwin Tindahan. Vallares lost to Vietnamese Le Thi Bang, 7-10 in the semifinals while Tindahan also dropped a 7-17 decision to Japanese Kenji Fujita in the quarterfinals.
?We?re obviously happy with the performance of our young first-timers. They are products of our grassroots development program. They?re the ones I have been referring to as ?those potent discoveries in the pipeline?. Although by agreement, all the 12 countries in the tournament fielded their second team, we chose our young 18-20 year olds whom we feel would benefit from early exposure to international competition?, said a delighted ABAP president Ricky Vargas. ?We will continue to nurture them and their dreams,? he declared.
"This validates what we have been saying all along. We have a vibrant grassroots development program that has identified the best potentials from the countryside. These boys and girls give us hope for the future,? added Vargas.
The coaching staff is composed of Nolito Velasco, Romeo Brin and Violito Payla. Team manager is AIBA International Technical Official and Asian Women?s Commission member Karina Picson.
Photo: ABAP Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan (L) and ABAP President Ricky Vargas.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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