INQUIRER Sports

PANABO CITY? Mark Anthony Barriga moved a step closer to fulfilling his dream of crashing the national team by emerging as the finest boxer in the 2009 Smart-Abap Mindanao amateur boxing tournament yesterday at the Panabo Sports Center here.

The 16-year-old machine operator?s son sealed the gold in the junior pinweight class after outclassing Davao City?s Julius Silva, 27-12, in a performance that impressed officials of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines.

Barriga, champion in the last four editions of the National Open and reigning Palarong Pambansa gold medalist three years in a row, made it to the Abap national championships, tentatively scheduled at the end of the year.

The incoming commerce freshman at the University of Mindanao-Davao also helped the host province walk away with the overall championship with 93 points after dominating the kids (11-12), school boys (13-14), juniors (15-16) and youth (16-18) divisions.

Misamis Oriental pooled 42 points for second place followed by Calinan, Davao City, with 16 in the qualifiers backed by PLDT-Smart head Manny V. Pangilinan, also the Abap head.

Rejie Tabanao?s walkover victory over Warren Christopher Raterta of MisOr also sparked Davao del Norte?s romp in the junior class.

Victorio Saludar III, adjudged Youth best boxer, retired MisOr?s Jeffrey Gallero in the second round while featherweight Jay-Ar Inson, flyweight Jolan Bunghanoy, lightfly Glen Canteveros and bantam Alfredo Deano won their respective final bouts for the hosts.

General Santos City made its mark in the juniors division through light fly Roldan Boncales and bantam Eduardo Edurot while Ramshane Sarquilla (junior light pinweight) and Romeo Garde (junior pinweight) sparkled for North Cotabato in the school boys class.

Other best boxers: Bukidnon?s Robert Paradero (kids), Arnel Dayday (school boys) and Davao City?s Engelbert Moralde (juniors).