Saludar makes it perfect 4 for RP pugs

MANILA, Philippines - Flyweight Rey Saludar made it four-of-four for Team RP as he hacked out an 8-5 victory over Declan Gerraghty of Ireland and reached the finals of the 31st Tammer Cup in Tampere, Finland Saturday.

The elder Saludar thus joined brother Victorio, Charly Suarez and Delfin Boholts in the championship round, assuring the country of four silver medals.

They go for the crown at the Pyynikin Palloiluhallissa Sports Hall late Sunday.

The elder Saludar actually trailed Gerraghty in the early going, 0-1, but rallied to pull off the victory in their 52-kg clash and keep the Filipinos’ impressive campaign in the tough event.

Saludar scored with heavy head and body shots to take a 2-1 lead en route to the victory.

“A great effort by our boxers,” said Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines executive director Ed Picson.

Earlier, the younger Saludar, a 19-year-old prodigy from Davao del Norte, shocked Russian Artem Ivaschenko, 4-1; Suarez overpowered Finnish Petteri Frojdholm, 7-2, in their 56-kg encounter; and Boholst whipped another local bet Jarkko Putkonen, 6-0, in the 64-kg class.

“I just hope they do well in the finals. Our main goal here is to expose them to the European style of boxing in preparation for the coming Asian Games. Of course, it would be great if they do win,” said Picson.

Victorio Saludar will face England’s Charlie Edwards in the finals, while Suarez will go up against Finland’s Matti Koota.

The RP pugs campaign is the last leg of the “Road to Asian Games” blueprint designed by ABAP president Ricky Vargas and given all-out support by businessman-sportsman Manny Pangilinan, chairman of ABAP and telecommunications giant PLDT.

The campaign kicked off with box-offs in Baguio and Manila, training camps and tournaments in China and the United States and an international tournament in Manila – the MVP Cup.