VIGAN CITY—Donald Laurejas has an offbeat choice for a boxing hero in Floyd Mayweather Jr.
The 15-year-old from Mandaluyong City showed flashes of his idol in stopping Rymwell Sagyawan of Itogon, Benguet, to punctuate the week-long 2017 Philippine Sports Commission-Batang Pinoy Games Luzon leg here.
Gifted with a 5-foot-10 frame, Laurejas accurately pummeled the much-shorter Sagyawan with his longer reach to collar the gold medal in the lightweight division.
“I like Manny Pacquiao, but I’m more of a Mayweather fan because of his defense,” said Laurejas in Filipino.
Baguio City claimed the overall title in the Luzon qualifying leg that drew over 7,000 athletes from 84 local government units who competed in 17 sports.
The country’s summer capital brought home 49 gold, 45 silver and 44 bronze medals followed by Laguna (34-20-26), Pangasinan (33-28-24), Dasmariñas City (26-13-31) and Quezon City (25-21-19).
Aside from boxing, where Laurejas already won three gold medals since his father Dalton taught him to fight last year, the eighth grader from Andres Bonifacio Integrated School is also a proven winner in muay thai thrice in his career.
Laurejas led Mandaluyong City’s eight-gold haul in boxing along with light bantam Remart Gomez, who won over Mark Lenard Carretero of Pangasinan in the finals via stoppage.
With power in his fists, Gomez forced the referee to halt the fight late in the second round after exploding with a flurry on a cornered Carretero.