Tacuyan, Suarez reach semis

BACOLOD City – Orlando Tacuyan Jr. of Himamaylan City used his speed and punching power to dispose of Reynante Buctot of Cebu City and assure himself of a bronze medal in the lightweight class in the Smart National Amateur Boxing Championships at the NOMPAC here.

Tacuyan needed just two minutes and four seconds in stopping Buctot to arrange a semifinal showdown with Army’s Charly Suarez, who defeated 2007 SEA Games silver medalist Junel Cantancio of Navy, 13-4.

Featherweight Joan Tipon and flyweight Rey Saludar, both of the Army, dominated their respective rivals to live up to their top billing in the weeklong event.

Tipon, the 2006 Doha Asian Games gold medallist, stopped Lucena, Quezon’s Benedict Vergara in 1.17 in the first round, while Saludar, a member of the RP pool, overwhelmed Lambonao, Iloilo’s Carlo Manquinto, 94-35, to advance to the quarterfinals.

The 20-year-old Tacuyan is hoping to get even with Suarez in a clash of the favorites in the lightweight class considered as “The Group of Death” with four RP team mainstays competing.

“My goal is to win here but it’’’’’’s not going to be easy,” said Tacuyan.

Suarez, a World Championship veteran, leads his head-to-head duel with the taller Tacuyan, 2-1, after he won their first meeting in Baguio two years ago, lost the second in the National Open in Cagayan de Oro the same year and prevailed again in the Go-for-Gold event last year.       – Joey Villar