Davao Norte, MisOr finals clash shapes up in Panabo

PANABO CITY—Host Davao del Norte sent 11 boxers while chief rival Misamis Oriental put eight bets to the finals of the PLDT-ABAP Mindanao tournament Thursday at the A.R. Floirendo covered court here.

General Santos City has four representatives in the gold-medal round, Surigao-South Cotabato has three, Gingoog City and Sarangani two apiece, and Camiguin, Kidapawan, Calinan in Davao City, Manolo Fortich and Aglayan in Bukidnon, and Compostela Valley one each.

The four-division tournament—kiddies (11 and 12), school boys (13 and 14), junior boys (15 and 16), and youth (17 and 18)—is a major component of Abap’s talent search program and coincides with the staging of the 2nd FABC Vicente Floirendo Amateur Boxing Championship.

Leading the two-team Davao charge are Rabicyle Gabriel, who beat MisOr’s Isagani Llaban in the 46 kg junior boys division, 32-19, and Rolen Alvan Magarce who scored an RSC victory over Gingoog’s Jorson Rapista in the 60 kg category, 21 seconds into the fight.

MisOr got a lift from the victories of Julito Sumalinog over GenSan’s Jergel Deguma, 22-4, in the 53 kg division, and Jerson Ladrada over Davao del Norte’s Jobel Araneta, 19-8, in the 54 kg category.

These offset the shocking loss of ballyhooed Samboy Lao to GenSan’s Jake Bornea, 15-12, in the 48 kg class.

But the day belonged to bantamweight Jeson Umbal from Camiguin Island.

Umbal was behind in the cards of all five judges against Davao del Norte bet Radje Tabanao with two minutes remaining, when he landed a right cross followed by a left straight that knocked out Tabanao.

Ricky Vargas, president of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines and of Maynilad Water, and secretary general Patrick Gregorio will award the medals, along with executive director Ed Picson.