MANILA, Philippines - Velmark Dignos of Cebu City-A pulled off an upset victory over Cholem Alabado of the fancied Bago City team in the school boys division at the start of the first Smart/ABAP Area Amateur Boxing tournament at the Kananga Municipal gym in Kananga, Leyte Monday.
Seven other bouts were held in the inaugural staging of the nationwide talent search conducted by the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines aimed at discovering talents who could be trained and developed to become members of the national team.
Aside from the school boys class (37-38.5 Kgs), other categories on tap are the junior boys (38.5 - 40 Kgs) and youth boys (48 Kgs).
Bago team bounced back in the junior boys category as Rogen Ladon stopped Alenander Morales of Ormoc in the first round with a solid shot to the body.
Anthony Sabalde of Cebu beat Acbar Collao of Ormoc in the youth boys division with a second round RSC-Outclassed win. Sabalde’s stablemate Rodel Yap also scored a stoppage over Antonio Gutang of San Carlos City.
In other results, Jack Tepora of Cebu City (A) downed Alil Ali of Cebu City (B); Iloilo’s Espiridion Pubadora outclassed Roel Berong of Bohol in the third round; Niel Bryan Unay of Northern Samar scored a third round RSC-O over Bohol’s Pedro Balaba while Michael Duazo of N. Samar disposed of Jerald Casimiro of Ormoc in the first round.