SUCCESSFUL PLDT-ABAP VISAYAS LEG IN BAGO CITY
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 28 Oct 2012
Ricky Vargas.
About 60 boxers from municipalities, cities, and provinces of Regions 6, 7 and 8 gathered in Bago City, Negros Occidental to compete in the PLDT-ABAP Visayas Area Tournament on October 21 to 26.
Hipolito Banal Jr., 15-year-old brother of AJ ?Bazooka? Banal, won the lightflyweight gold in the junior boys division. He dominated Willy Boy Domiquel of Nothern Samar with a 23-9 win in the finals.
?I?m happy every time I win the gold because boxing is a very tough sport,? said Banal.
It was Banal's fourth gold medal since he started boxing six years ago. He won the gold medal in the PLDT-ABAP National Finals in Bohol, Central Visayas Regional Athletics Association (CVRAA) in Danao City in 2009, and Palarong Pambansa in Tarlac in 2010.
Banal is planning to turn pro following the footsteps of his brother. His moves and style impressed Kevin Smith, the Irishman who was tapped by ABAP as consultant for youth development. "He's good. Just a little more seasoning and he's ready to go," said Smith, who watched the final bouts with ABAP president Ricky Vargas, vice president Manny Lopez, secretary general Patrick Gregorio and executive director Ed Picson.
?I?m happy every time I win the gold because boxing is a very tough sport,? said Banal. But he said he has a lot of work to do before turning pro.
In other final bout, Orville Olaivar of Tagbilaran started slow but rallied in the later rounds to beat Mario Jaga of Bago-A, 8-3, in the junior boys pinweight division.
Our very own Alemar Javier of Maasin City ruled over Jesmar Martir of Bago-B, 12-9, in the junior bantamweight division. Javier, a 16-year old student of Maasin City National High School, unleashed a barrage of punches from the opening bell to repeat his impressive victory over Milwin Anthony Ramirez of Negros Occidental via a RSC (referee-stopped-contest) in only 43 seconds of the first round in the semifinals.
Kenneth Paul Gentallan of Tagbilaran outscored Chaim Pascual of Dumaguete, 12-5, in the junior boys flyweight division; Joepher Montano of Bago City stopped Mark Sadava of Cabatuan via RSC in the junior boys bantamweight division; Jossa Santisteban of Bago-A dropped Kristia Mae Oliveros of Himamaylan also via RSC in the junior girls pinweight; and Paul Sacupon of Northern Samar outscored Arnold Jetajobe of Sagay, 17-12, in the youth boys pinweight division.
The winners will automatically qualify for the PLDT-ABAP national finals in Maasin City, Southern Leyte on February next year.
?The ABAP grassroots development program took off with five gold medal wins in Taipei last month by young discoveries from our regional tournaments,? said Vargas, also the president of Maynilad Water Services Inc. ?The 2012 PLDT-ABAP championships in Bago City, a traditional hunting ground for fresh boxing talents, promises another good haul.?
I congratulate Bago City Mayor Ramon Torres for the successful staging of the regional event and putting Bago City once again in the boxing map of the country. The city has produced superstars in Philippine boxing like Mansueto ?Onyok? Velasco and elder brother Roel, both of them Olympic medalists, Reynaldo Galido, Larry Semillano, Virgilio Vicera, Leopoldo Cantancio, and Mitchel Martinez, among others.
Bago City is the hometown of Gen. Jorge Vargas, grandfather of ABAP president Ricky Vargas, who served for over 40 years as the country?s representative to the International Olympic Committee.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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