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Cebu Captures 1st Smart/ABAP Visayas Area Amateur Boxing Championship PhilBoxing.com Fri, 27 Mar 2009 ORMOC City - For years Cebu has been labeled as hotbed of professional boxing. From now on though, add the amateurs as Cebu?s expertise when it comes to producing world class talent. Thursday night in this city, Cebu captured the first ever Smart/ABAP Visayas Area Amateur Boxing Championship in scintillating fashion as they dominated the tournament usually ruled by Bago City-based fighters. Cebu sent 17 fighters to the Finals while Bago had 14. The two cities had six face-off in this four-division tournament backed by Ormoc City Mayor Eric Codilla and Kananga town chief executive Elmer Codilla who hosted the first two days of the event. Cebu won four of those six showdowns. Bago actually won the first three championship bouts with Ian Lescano dominating Cebu?s Melmark Dignos, 11-6 in the Kids Division?s 28Kg event and Ryan James Flores scoring a close 9-7 win over Ronald Ellenas in the 29Kg class. Bago?s Niel Tambanillo tallied the first stoppage win, scoring an RSC at 1:29 of the first round over Bernard Arandilla of Negros Occidental. Cebu started their rampage when Margarito Moya came from behind and won a close 9-8 verdict over Bago?s Charlie Panes in the Kids 31Kg class. Emerging boxing city Bacolod finished third overall in the tournament highlighted by the impressive 16-2 victory by Juren Labordo over Cebu?s Velmark Dignos in the 37-38.5 Kg20category of the School Boys division. Cebu?s 13-year-old fighter Jack Tepora showed exciting promise as a potential national team member by taking the gold in the 38.5-40Kg School Boys as he decisioned Alvin Sibuga of Bacolod City, 22-7. Tepora was later adjudged Best Boxer in the School Boys division. The complete gold winners in the Kids Division are Jimmy Barazon who won over Bago?s Rommel Tagamolila (14-1), Bago?s Raymart Alera over teammate Junriel Jimenez (15-3) and Christian Cordova over Olivar Cordova (13-4. Danlou Codilla of Cebu won over Sonny Boy Abella of San Carlos City (11-4) to join Tepora and Labordo as champions in the School Boys Division. Cebu?s Jahlee Payao and Edu Serrano crowned themselves Junior Boys kingpins with points wins over Jhonriel Muagro of Bohol and another Cebuano Allan Refuela, respectively. Youth Boys champions were Adrino Pescante of Cebu who escaped with a razon-thin 17-16 triumph against Bago?s Martin Cordova; Anthony Sabalde of Cebu, 23-16 winner against Geldon Cordova of Bago City; Marjohn Baliguat who won on points over Jason Concepcion of Northern Samar, 9-6; Julito Tuastumban of Cebu by RSC in the second round over Timoteo Altubar also of Cebu, and Dennis Calvan of Bago by RSC in the third canto against Rauie Calumba of Cebu. The Cebuanos meanwhile are being coached by former professional fighter Rey Orais and ex-amateur standout Efren Tabanas. Other notable winners were Youth Girls campaigner Christy Jan Rivas of Bacolod City who won by RSC at 1:33 of the first round over fellow Bacolod-born lady fighter Stefanie Melliguen. Bago City?s Rogen Ladon also showed huge potentials by winning an 11-1 verdict against Espiridon Pubadura of Iloilo en route to being chosen as Junior Boys Division?s Best Boxer. Bago City, which recently spent millions in rehabilitating its ABAP gym, is home to several amateur champions led by 1996 Olympic medalist Mansueto ?Onyok? Velasco and brother Roel Velasco, a 1992 Olympic bronze medalist. Many-time international campaigners Reynaldo Galido, Isidro Vicera and Larry Semillano also trace their boxing roots in Bago City whose team is now being coached by former Olympian Leopoldo Cantancio. The Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP), headed by its chairman Manny V. Pangilinan and president Ricky Vargas, supervised and organized the event. ABAP executive director Ed Picson took charge of the Visayas event while Secretary General Patrick Gregorio witnessed the Finals Thursday night.  |
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