DAVAO DEL NORTE, MANDAUE PUGS SHINE IN ONGOING PLDT-ABAP NATIONAL TILT IN MAASIN
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 21 Feb 2013
MAASIN CITY (PNA) -- Lopsided victories, highlighted by a referee stopped contest domination scored by Michael John Bahena of Davao del Norte marked the early semifinal round bouts Friday of PLDT-ABAP National Boxing Championships in this bustling capital city of Southern Leyte.
Bahena, fighting in the boys 50-kilogram junior division (15-16 bracket), had Reymart Gaballo of General Santos-Sarangani in the palm of his hands in the first two minutes of the opening round pummeling his opponent relentlessly leading the third man in the ring to stop the scheduled three-round showdown out of mercy.
Bahena?s impressive win actually was the second for Davao del Norte in the same age category following John Patrick Dinolan?s (48-0kg.) 8-4 shellacking of Mario Jaga of Bago City.
Mandaue City matched Davao del Norte?s double victory in the 10-bout junior division semis when Jeffrey Estella scored a one-sided 13-10 decision of Aldrin Signar of Tayabas Province in the 46-kg. class and Hipolito Banal Jr. (48-kg.) outpointing Joash Jordan of General Santos-Sarangani.
Bahena, Dinolan, Estella and Banal, thus, advanced into the gold medal fights in their divisions along with the other winners of the semifinal round fights still going on at press time.
The complete results of the junior semifinal round encounters: Mario Bautista of Himamaylan over Jeronil Borres of Misamis Oriental (46-kg.);
Kenneth Paul Gentalla of Tagbilaran over Adrian Tambalino of Bago (50-kg.); Levawil Savines of Bago over Jeric Ferrer
of Tayabas (52-kg.); Presco Cascosia of Misamis Oriental over Michael Javier of General Santos-Sarangani (52-kg.); Angelou Plania of General Santos-Darfangani over Jopher Montano of Bago (54-kg.); and Marquil Salvania of Misamis Oriental over Joe Tejones of Camiguin (54-kg.).
Forty six more contests were still being disputed ? six in the girls junior category, 22 in the youth class and 18 elite levels in the Open, the first biggest and national-level competitions being held in this city courtesy of Mayor Maloney Samaco, a distinguished boxing media man writing for Philboxing.Com.
?This our city?s contribution to our country?s sports development program, particularly in boxing where I and our people here in Maasin believe will be our country?s source of our first ever gold medal in the Olympic Games,? Maloney told The Philippine News Agency in an interview as the fights went on.
?That is why I am very grateful to our town mates here who have extended their all-out support for this undertaking,? he added. ?I would also like to extend my appreciation to ABAP, its president, Mr. Ricky Vargas, and chair, Mr. Manny Pangilinan, for giving us the chance to showcase our organizational skills and the hospitality of our people.?
The PLDT-ABAP Open raised its curtains last Monday with a colorful and elaborate Olympic-style ceremonies seen for the first time not only in this city but in the province as well.
All the gold medal bouts, according to ABAP executive director Ed Picson, will contested Friday. (PNA)
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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