Bago City, Army pugs reach final

BACOLOD – Bago City showed its might in the kids and junior divisions while Army threw its full weight in the elite section to sustain its dominating form going into the final round of the 2009 Smart-PLDT National Amateur Boxing Championships at the NOMPAC here.

Bago City sent boxers to the finals in six of the 19 weight classes for the younger pugs while Army went a perfect 11-of-11 in Thursday night’s semifinals to get a crack at gold medals staked in the elite section for men and women.

Light cotton weight (27 kilograms) Ryan James Flores, kiddie weight (30kg) Charlie Panes, light ant weight (31kg) Ronel Tagamonila, light minimum weight (34kg) Oliver Cordova, minimum weight (34kg) Christian Cordova and juniors pin weight (46kg) Rogen Ladon all advanced to the gold medal round.

The Army drew strength from light fly Bill Vicera, flyweights Ernanie Disabille and Rey Saludar, bantam Godfrey Castro, feather Joan Tipon, lightweight Charlie Suarez, light welter Genebert Basadre, welter Wilfredo Lopez, and middleweight Delfin Boholst in the men’s side and bantam Annalisa Cruz and feather Annie Albania on the distaff section.

Bantam Dave Peñalosa, son of former world champion Dodie Boy Peñalosa Sr., stole some of the thunder from the favorites as he bested General Santos City’s Eduardo Edurot, 21-6.

Penalosa, whose elder brother Dodie Boy, Jr. gave up his dream of turning pro in pursuit of the elusive Olympic gold, forged a title showdown with Bacolod A’s Elijah Ray Guanzon, who edged Northern Samar’s Ronel Bordeos, 15-12.

“I will go for the win, I hope I could,” said the 16-year-old Penalosa, who is representing M. Lhuillier stable.

Himamaylan City’s brother tandem no weight (26kg) Mario and junior lightweight Ian Clark Bautista made their presence felt by posting impressive triumphs.

Both sons of farmers who toiled the fields of the city under Mayor Carminia Bascon, Mario, 11, thumped Tayabas, Quezon’s Earl Jide Narez, 10-2, and Ian Clark stopped Negros Oriental first district’s Joshua Obadavia (RSC, 1.04 first round) to sneak into the championship.

Other winners were Flores over Bacolod A’s Gerald Pangarutan (RSC, 55 seconds, second round), Panes over Silay City’s Efren Garcia, Jr. (16-7), Tagamonila over Cebu City’s Juriel Jimenez (19-6),Cordova over Bacolod A’s Christian Daguno (RSC, 22 sec, third round), Cordova over Bacolod A’s Danny Quinamola (14-5), and Ladon over Puerto Princesa’s John Merced (9-4).

Vicera won over Cebu City’s Joemarie Yuson (14-6), Disabille over Mandaluyong’s Larry Gamboa (18-4), Saludar over Bago City’s Melchor Palacios (RSC 1:15, second round), Castro over Aroroy, Masbate’s Regie Banaag (RSC 1.34, second), Tipon over Nueva Vizcaya’s Joel Orden (RSC 32 seconds, first), Suarez over Himamaylan City’s Orlando Tacuyan, Jr. (19-11), Basadre over Navy’s Jose Balido on points, Lopez via walkover; Boholst over Philsca’s David Gupong (RSC-Outclassed, 42 sec, first), Cruz over Bacolod City’s Herme Ann Lizaldez (RSC, 34 seconds in the first and Albania against Bacolod A’s RSC 43 seconds, first).

Boxing notes: ABAP chair Manny V. Pangilinan and president Ricky Vargas announced it will give P3,000 for a gold and P1,500 each for a silver and bronze medals in the elite class, P2,000, P1,500 and P1,000 in the kiddies and youth section. The team champion will get P20,500 and the first and second runner-up P12,500 and P7,500, respectively...ALA boxing’s Tony Aldeguer made a surprise visit at the venue to see for himself how the kids fight. Aldeguer said he is impressed with the new ABAP leadership but suggested that the current officials weed out the remaining bad eggs. “It’s time for the total cleansing,” Aldeguer, who has sent an amateur team to this annual event for the first time in five years, told The STAR...Former ABAP chief Manny Lopez made his valedictory address in the congress and vowed to continue supporting the sports. “I grew up loving the sport and it pains me to leave it. But I would still be around to help,” he said.