Minda, Visayas pugs shine in nat'l tiff

TAGBILARAN, Bohol, Philippines  – Davao del Norte, Cebu, Mandaue and Misamis Oriental worked their way up with early victories at the start of the PLDT-ABAP National Amateur Boxing Championships, winning three matches in Carmen, 59 kilometers north of this provincial capital late Sunday.

Early second day matches yesterday saw Aglayan’s Robert Paradero trounce Marvin Lulu, 16-8, in 46 kg boys pinweight in Maribojoc town, and GenSan’s Regel Lou Alde defeat Maasin, Leyte’s Jayson Becong, 13-7, in the same division.

Day 2 of the clash between the RP women’s team and Sri Lanka, meanwhile, brought mixed results.

After the quartet of Nesthy Petecio, Josephine Gabuco, Janice Vallares and Ricalene Aquino swept their respective matches Sunday, Sri Lanka exacted vengeance in two of their four remaining bouts.

Nilmini Nayasing shocked Janice Vallares, 19-7, while hulking Shiromali Weerarathna clobbered former muaythai athlete Ricalene Aquino, 18-3.

Holding their ground were Alice Kate Aparri, a 16-7 winner over Kosala Nilmini, and Petecio, a 17-5 victor over Sithari Sadareka, giving the Philippines a 6-2 victory.

A total of 145 boxers from 25 clubs all over the country are seeing action in the culmination of the year-long elimination tournaments in Luzon/National Capital Region, Visayas and Mindanao.

Carmen Mayor Conchita Torribio delos Reyes, granddaughter of 1932 Los Angeles Olympics high jump bronze medalist Simeon Torribio, Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Neri Lim and Carmen Vice Mayor Pedro Budiongan welcomed the participants as well as RP boxing officials led by ABAP president Ricky Vargas, secretary-general Patrick Gregorio and executive director Ed Picson, PLDT AVP Dodie Lucas and Smart Sports’ Epok Quimpo.

In Sunday’s inaugurals, it was MisOr’s Remark Casas over Negros’ Jojo Bulanon, 20-6, (49 kg light flyweight), Jaybie Haya over Jeffrey Bagacay by RSCI in the third round (52 kg flyweight) and Juniel Lacar over Tagbilaran’s Ronie Calimutan, 23-10 (49 kg elite light flyweight).

Other results: Davao’s Rabicyle Gabriel def Mandaue’s Hipolito Banal, 9-5 (46 kg pinweight), Joey Canoy def Negros’ Rafael Sueno, 29-12 (49 kg elite lightweight),  Jolan Bunghanoy def Negros’ Roben Dingcong, 23-5 (52 kg elite flyweight).

Mandaue’s Bryan Remedio def Tayabas’ Jessie Diaz (countback, 48 kg boys light flyweight), Kevin Jake Cataraja def Gen. Santos’ Vergel Deguma (second rd, 52 kg boys flyweight), Dannlou Codilla def Misamis Oriental’s Nike Jun Guinaadman, 12-5 (52 kg elite flyweight).

Cebu’s Junrel Jimenez def Negros’ Mario Bautista Jr., 15-6 (46 kg pinweight), Steven Nobrefranca def Negros’ Danjay Nietes, 11-4 (52 kg flyweight), Alan Refuela def Tagbilaran’s Jenno Cabungan, 18-8 (52 kg elite).