PANABO CITY, Philippines ? Host Davao del Norte continued its onslaught after three junior boxers from the province entered the finals of the 2009 Smart-ABAP Mindanao Amateur Boxing Tournament at the Panabo Multi-Purpose Tourism Cultural Sports Center here.
Mark Anthony Barriga showed the way in the pinweight category while light bantam Rejie Tabanao and flyweight Raffy Cavan dominated their opponents in the semifinals of the juniors division of the event organized by the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines.
The 16-year-old Barriga stopped Davao City?s Alejandro Mensera with one minute and 35 seconds remaining in the second round to advance to the gold-medal round against Julius Silva of Davao City.
Tabanao also scored a referee-stopped-contest victory due to excessive body blows against Carlo Jay Padasan of Davao 17 seconds into the second round to follow the path of Barriga and arrange a finals duel with Misamis Oriental?s Warren Christopher Raterta.
Silva outpointed Jonathan Refugio of Agbayan, Bukidnon, 26-16, while Raterta demolished Renan Portes of Valencia, Bukidnon, 45-21, in the event which serves as one of five regional qualifying legs for the national championships at the end of the year.
Abap executive director Ed Picson said gold medalists in the regional legs would advance to the national championships where the federation would pick out the best from the crop and enlist them in the national training pool.
Cavan won on points, connecting with several head blows in the final round for a 29-20 triumph over North Cotabato?s Joemer Lumacad. Just like Barriga and Tabanao, Cavan came from the famed Panabo stable of former solon Tonyboy Floirendo and Congressman Anton Lagdameo Jr.
Cavan faces Davao City?s Engelbert Moralde, a reigning Palarong Pambansa champion who subdued Ginisis Libranza of Cabadbaran, Agusan Del Norte, 21-9, in the semifinals.
Also making it to the finals of the juniors division are bantamweight Eduardo Edurot from the Pacman General Santos stable and Misamis Oriental?s Daryl Basadre, who will cross paths against Pacman GenSan?s Roldan Bocales after squeezing past Mario Fernandez of Aglayan, 58-54.
Abap president Ricky Vargas, Smart Sports head and secretary-general Patrick Gregorio and former Philippine Sports Commission chair William Ramirez were also at ringside to witness the semifinals along with NCR deputy executive director Gilbert Artificio and Abap executive Jayjay Vargas.
Vargas said Abap, through the backing of PLDT-Smart big boss Manny V. Pangilinan, has donated a set of brand-new boxing equipment to a marginalized boxing club in Bamban, Tarlac before their group arrived to this city Thursday night.
Vargas said the club has at least 30 kids aged 10-16, who train on a makeshift boxing ring on a grassy lot, their fists bundled in cloth, which serves as a pair of gloves.
?You?ll be amazed how determined these kids are to learn the fundamentals of the sport at a very young age,? added Vargas.
