Bago pugs emerge overall Visayas champs

DUMAGUETE CITY ,Philippines  – Seventeen-year-old James Palicte displayed the form that once made him a member of the national pool to shut down a wild local crowd cheering for Jonathan Ramirez and cap Bago City’s dominating performance at the close of the PLDT-ABAP Visayas Area Boxing Championships Sunday at the Robinson’s Mall.

A total of 10 finals bouts were disputed, including one in the girls division, with the champions receiving medals and cash prize of P1,000.

City Mayor Manuel “Chiquiting” Sagarbarria joined ABAP executive director Ed Picson, ASBC Women’s Commission member Ma. Karina Picson and Carlos Leviste of SMART Sports in the awarding ceremony.

“We’re happy with the results of the tournament and we have spotted a number of boxers whom we will invite for the National Finals in Tagbilaran City from March 4 to 7,” said Picson.

Palicte leaned on his counter-punching style to negate an aggressive Ramirez for a 12-7 points victory to claim the gold medal in the Youth Boys lightweight division.

“He was strong but I could handle him. My only problem is lack of endurance,” said Palicte, who was with the national pool from 2009-10 but quit when he got homesick.

The victory was Bago City’s third gold medal to go with two silvers and a bronze medal to claim the overall championship in this four-day tournament organized by the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) with PLDT as its main sponsor in cooperation with the city and provincial government.

Youth pinweight Raymart Flores and junior light flyweight Andrian dela Cruz were the other winners for Bago City to steal the title away from former champion Mandaue City who settled for second place with two gold, a silver and three bronze medals.

Youth light flyweight Rolan Servania and bantamweight Kevin Jake Cataraja carried the fight for Mandaue who still earned the bragging rights as the delegation with the most medals won in this tournament.

National Finals host Tagbilaran City won two gold medals led by Jessel Mark Araula who registered the most impressive win in the final day of action.

Araula pounded Mardie Naunan of Mandaue with solid left hooks resulting to back to back standing eight counts for an RSC victory with 2:42 in the first round.

Cebu City won two gold medals while Negros Occidental claimed the final gold courtesy of lady boxer Jossa Santiseban who ruled the Junior girls pinweight with an RSC win in the third round over Leyte’s Aira Villegas.

Former Olympians and now national coaches Romer Brin and Elias Recaido acted as scouts tio determine potential boxers to compete with selected boxers from the NCR-Luzon and Mindanao Area Tournaments this March.