3 Mandaue pugs remain standing

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines – Mandaue City's title defense hit a rocky road as it has only three boxers left heading into the final day of the 2012 PLDT-ABAP Visayas Area Championships at Robinson’s Mall.

But Kevin Jake Cataraja, Rolan Servania and Mardie Muaña delivered a winning performance that might set back their drive for back-to-back crowns.

 Cataraja outclassed his opponent from Negros Occidental, Servania proved too much for host Negros Oriental’s Aljean Romero in the youth light flyweight class, while Muaña pulled away a 9-6 victory over Joshua Yap in the 56 kgs. division.

Former champion Cebu City kissed their bid to regain the meet’s title goodbye as junior pinweight Junrel Jimenez was the only boxer who won with Rodex Piala joining Noblefranca for the bronze medals in the youth light flyweight division.

Bago City is set to reclaim its old glory in boxing as four of their five boxers won their semifinal bouts.

Former national pool member James Palicte outclassed Mandaue City’s Eleno Traya with an RSC win in the third round in the youth lightweight class to lead Bago City boxers who made it to the finals.

Youth pinweight Raymart Flores along with junior light flyweight Ramonito Ladon Jr. and light bantamweight Jesmar Martir were the other boxers who won in their respective fights and will go for the gold medals in Sunday’s finals.

Tagbilaran City, which will play host to the National Finals slated March 4-7, also made their mark as all three boxers sent to compete in the four-day tournament organized by the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines with PLDT at its main sponsor and the City and Provincial Government chipping in, succeeded in barging into the championship bouts.

Jessel Mark Araula, a national champion since 2007, moved to within a win of claiming his first youth bantamweight crown as he scored on repeated head blows to Jeffrey Bagacay of Bago City for an RSC win with 2:22 left in the second round.

Cantrel Cherwellan outpunched Cebu City’s Steven Noblefrance for a hard-earned 8-7 win in the youth bantamweight while Kenneth Centallan proved far superior to Ronald Bryan Remedio of Mandaue City for an 8-3 victory in the junior light flyweight class. - ABAP Media Bureau with reports from Caecent No-ot Magsumbol (THE FREEMAN)