HOST Mandaue City fighters showed their class, while Team Cebu City (TCC) boxers made their presence felt at the start of the 2010 PLDT-Abap Visayas Area Amateur Boxing Tournament at the Mandaue City Heritage Park yesterday.
After the opening ceremony with Mandaue City Vice Mayor Glenn Bercede, City Administrator Briccio Boholst, Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (Abap) Executive director Ed Picson, Smart sports director Patrick Gregorio, among others in the attendance, the hostilities started with TCC Team C fighter Jahil Ala eking out a slim 22-18 in the Junior?s Division (15-16 years old) over Jeric Mente of Samar in the 46-kg. class.
Cebu City?s Wolmark Dignos followed the victory with a hard-earned 19-7 win over Raul Valencia of Duma-guete City in the Youth Division (17-18 years old) category? +46-kg. class.
Dignos started hot as he pulled an early 6-3 at the end of the first round.
However, the Cebuano fighter slowed down and allowed Valencia to close within 6-5 in the middle of the second round before regaining, 9-6, at the end of the second rounds.
He continued pounding on the opponent to win the match.
Bacolod
Maguikay-Mandaue City?s Christian Bacolod, on the other hand, lost an early 0-3 lead, trailing 5-3 at the end of the first round, but outscored Allen Oro of Sagay City 6-3 in the second round and pulled away for good in the third to advance 17-13 in the Youth +46-kg. division.
Not to be outdone, Ritchie Montealto of Maguikay-Mandaue City Team B allowed Michael Duazo of Samar to lead early, 0-3, before settling for a 5-10 deficit at the end of the first round.
However, as Duazo felt comfortable with his lead, the lanky Montealto hit him hard in the second round by outscoring the Samar fighter, 15-5, to lead, 20-15.
With his game completely dominating the opponent, Montealto went to put the game away with precise jabs and straights to win 24-17 in the Youth Division +46-kg. category.
First loss
Cebu City, however, had its first casualty, Anthony Coral, who suffered a lopsided 10-23 loss to Bago City?s Martin Cordova in the Junior Division?s 48-kg. bout.
The most impressive win came from Raymond Salmingo of Boracay, who blanked Rudith Lagas of Maasin City, 13-0, to advance in the Junior Division 46-kg. match.
Aldrin Mori of Maasin scored the first abbreviated win of the tournament after Logie Mark Torela of Sipalay City retired at the start of the second round in the Youth +46-kg. match.
Mori was dominating Torela in the opening round when the Sipalay City fighter failed to respond to the second-round bell after spraining his right hand.
Also advancing to the next round was Junen Labordo of Bacolod, beating Paul Sacupon of Samar, 26-5, in the Jr. Division 48-kg. action.
Fighters coming from 23 cities and municipalities in the Visayas joined the event.
