Southern pugs dominate Abap meet

MANILA, Philippines –  Youth boxers from the Visayas and Mindanao dominated the PLDT-ABAP Under-18 National Amateur Boxing Championships, winning 31 of the 33 gold medals staked in the week-long tournament which ended Thursday night in Cagayan de Oro City.

Only Nicezaa Petecio of RTU-Mandaluyong, fighting in the flyweight division, and light welter Joel Bacho of Mandaluyong, put some dents on the southern fighters’ juggernaut in the meet witnessed by hundreds of spectators at the provincial capitol grounds.

The Misamis Oriental pugs, from the regional training center of Gov. Oscar Moreno, cornered 11 gold medals to underscore the hosts’ wide base of potential young fighters for future national teams.

“We hope to keep the pace of development of amateur boxing in the region and hopefully provide materials for the national pool,” said Moreno of the team that won the overall crown.

ABAP president Ricky Vargas and PLDT executives Raul Alvarez and Luigi Lopa and Maynilad vice-president Chris Lichauco graced the award rites with Moreno, also the Abap Region X director.

“Events like these boost ABAP’s grassroots program towards our ultimate goal of winning the Olympic gold,” said Vargas.

Also gracing the event were Deputy Speaker Rep. Raul Daza of Northern Samar, Abap vice president Manny Lopez, Smart Sports head Pato Gregorio and Abap executive director Ed Picson.

Roberto Miguel Jalnaiz, also of MisOr, was named the best boxer of the tournament backed by PLDT, Smart, Maynilad Water and Nature’s Spring.

Roberto Miguel, the 13-year-old son of two-time Olympian Roberto Jalnaiz, bagged the gold in the school boys’ mosquito weight (40 kg) division.

Petecio overwhelmed Ma. Jessa Mae Mercado of Maasin and fashioned out a 12-2 romp while Bacho trounced Sonny Katiandagho of Gen. Santos for an 11-5 rout.

Beverly Casero (jr pinweight), Jeanvee Flores (bantam) and Janice Vallares (lightweight) disposed of their respective rivals before a cheering hometown crowd as MisOr capped its romp in the event for 11-18 year-olds.

Casero outclassed Macarolina Narez of Bago City, 13-3, while Flores and Vallares took a pair of RSC (referee-stopped-contest) wins over Sarangani’s Vivian Garcia and Iligan Norlyn Guro, respectively.

Davao del Norte and Tagbilaran bagged three gold medals each but the former took the runner-up honors with five silvers.

Also winning the golds are Bukidnon’s Jayson Neri, Engelbert Moralde of Davao City, Rania Abubakar of PNP Datu Puti,

Jenno Cabugnan of Tagbilaran City, Charlie Puzdol of Cebu City, Aisah Alico of Iligan City, Joey Lanoy of Gen. Santos City and Leslie Domingo of Asuncion.