Bago, Cebu pugs dominate

MANILA, Philippines - Bago City’s Rogen Ladon stopped Rodel Yap of Cebu City in the featured semifinal bout in the junior boys’ 48-kg class to advance to the finals of the first Smart/ABAP Visayas Area Amateur Boxing Championships in Ormoc City Wednesday.

Ladon, a southpaw, pressured the lanky Yap from the opening bell, then decked the Cebuano with a solid straight, forcing the referee to stop the bout at 1:27 of the opening round.

But Ladon will have his hands full against a taller Espiridon Pubadura of Iloilo when they dispute the gold medal Thursday night.

Cebu, however, sent four of its fighters to the championship in impressive fashion.

Thirteen-year-old prospect Jack Tepora of Cebu City-A beat local bet Feljun Tadeo, 12-2, in their 38.5-40-kg battle, while Edu Serrano of Cebu City-B scored a Referee Stopped Contest (RSC)-Outclassed win over Jason Redondo of Ormoc at 0:21 of the third round in their 50-kg bout.

Anthony Sabalde of Cebu City snatched a 26-20 win over Neil Bryan Unay of Northern Samar in the 48-kg Youth Boys face-off, and Danlou Codilla of Cebu City-A walked over Cebu City-B’s Joselito Pena in the 41.5-43-kg class.

Still, Bago City dominated the kids division as 30-kg campaigner Neil Tambanillo smashed Northern Samar’s John Michael Giray, 20-1, and Ronnel Tagamolila trounced Aladin Figueroa of Bacolod City in the 29-kg bout.

Gedlon Cordova joined his fellow Bago City fighters in the championship round with an RSC-O over Aehman Sadiva of Iloilo at 1:20 of the second round.

Other winners were Alvin Sibugan of Bacolod over Idelfonso Manzano Jr. of San Carlos City (17-10); Pubadura of Iloilo over Michael Duazo of N. Samar (18-15) and Jason Concepcion of N. Samar who won via RSC against Angelito Morales of Ormoc City at 1:24 of the third round.