| |
|
Raga beats Bañares in SBA Philippine Open, pockets ₱400,000 cash prize
By Marlon Bernardino PhilBoxing.com Mon, 28 Apr 2025
Anton “The Dragon” Raga was at his best when he won the ₱400,000 cash prize + Sharks Billiard Association (SBA) Philippine Open 2025 trophy in the race-to-13 championship match vs Jerico “Panday” Bañares.
Raga defeated Banares, 13-7, in the pool tournament held from April 25-27, 2025 at the Sharks Arena and Sports Bar, Tomas Morato, Quezon City.
The championship match was a display of elite precision, grit, and nerves of steel as Raga edged out Bañares, who fought valiantly but fell short in the final racks.
"I would like to dedicate my victory to my family, my friends, my supporters and to God,' said Raga.
With the crowd on their feet and viewers watching via live PTV broadcast, the match stood as a testament to the rising standard of Philippine billiards.
“This isn’t just a tournament win — it’s a statement,” said SBA Commissioner and Founder Hadley Mariano. “The Philippine Open was designed to raise the bar and discover the next generation of champions, and tonight, we witnessed that vision come to life.
Your SBA Philippine Open 2025 Champion is Anton 'The Dragon' Raga! The road was long, the games were tough, but the win was well-earned," he added.
The qualification phase was held from April 21–24, 2025 at the CueHub Billiards Sports Bar & Lounge, Visayas Ave, Quezon City.-Marlon Bernardino-
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Marlon Bernardino.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Leading World Cruiserweight Contender Ryan ‘The Bruiser’ Rozicki returns from 15-month layoff with another overpowering KO , Mon, 09 Mar 2026Roca, Bernardino share top honors in Tea Block rapid chess tournament By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 08 Mar 2026Fastpitch Softball on March 20-22 in Calinan By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 08 Mar 2026Opetaia vs Glanton: Dana White Crowns First Boxing Champion. Is Fight Worthy? By Chris Carlson, , Sun, 08 Mar 2026In Thrilling Showdown, Pagara Falls Short Against Polkinghorn by Points. , Sun, 08 Mar 2026Unofficial Unification Tournament Brewing For Welterweights By Ralph Rimpell, , Sat, 07 Mar 2026Fight Results from Montreal: Steven Butler Obliterates Ramadan Hiseni; Wins by Lenar Perez, Jhon Orobio and Steve Claggett By Eric Armit, , Sat, 07 Mar 2026Former Champ Junior Makabu visits WBC offices in Mexico City By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 07 Mar 2026WEIGHTS FROM SYDNEY, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA , Sat, 07 Mar 2026Weights from Atlantic City , Sat, 07 Mar 2026PFL Releases Francis Ngannou By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 07 Mar 2026Polkinghorn, Pagara at the Scales in Perth, Australia By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 07 Mar 2026Young Briton Rising Star: Callum Dan's Quest for Boxing Glory By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 07 Mar 2026Chua rules Pattaya Open; pockets $22,500 By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 07 Mar 2026All Star Boxing live on ESPN DEPORTES Weights from Nicaragua , Fri, 06 Mar 2026Ryan Rozicki’s Return: Presser Quotes from Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada , Fri, 06 Mar 2026Undefeated Heavyweight Gustavo “The Cuban Assassin” Trujillo Returns to Headline “Havoc at the Hilton 3” March 7 in Florida , Fri, 06 Mar 2026AQ Prime Chess bet Marius Zabanal Constante of Pasig City rules Elementary Division of NCR Palarong Pambansa Standard chess elims By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 06 Mar 2026World-Ranked Light Heavyweight Najee Lopez Battles Mexican Strongman Manuel Gallegos , Fri, 06 Mar 2026USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team Travels to Thailand for 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup , Fri, 06 Mar 2026Eddie Hearn Signs UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall for New Matchroom Talent Agency , Fri, 06 Mar 2026Wise Owl Boxing Signs Undefeated Super Welterweight Prospect Ebenezer “The Stuntman” Griffith , Fri, 06 Mar 2026International Boxing Association Strengthens Strategic Presence in Cape Verde Following High-Level Official Visit , Thu, 05 Mar 2026Asia's First GM Eugene Torre 2nd in Russia chess By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 05 Mar 2026Unified WBA, WBO and Ring Magazine Minimumweight World Champion Oscar "El Pupilo" Collazo Hosts Media Workout Ahead of March 14 Fight , Thu, 05 Mar 2026 |

|
|
|
|
|