BAGO CITY—Hipolito Banal Jr. of Mandaue exacted revenge over Mark Anthony Montinola of Himamaylan, 19-11, yesterday to barge into the finals of the PLDT-Abap Visayas Area boxing tournament at Bago Gymnasium here.
The 15-year-old Hipolito, youngest brother of AJ Banal, who recently blew his bid for the WBO bantamweight championship, pulled away after two rounds, 10-5, then fended off a relentless assault by Montinola to avenge the defeat he suffered in their gold-medal duel in last year’s national finals in Dumaguete City.
Hipolito, a freshman in Kabankalan National High School, will battle Willy Boy Domiquel of Northern Samar in today’s junior boys’ light flyweight (48 kg) finals.
Domiquel eked out a come-from-behind 12-11 decision over Eljean Cesar Hermedalla of Bacolod. Hermedella got penalized for a shoulder roll in the third round.
Power puncher Alemar Javier of Maasin, Leyte, shone in the junior boys bouts when he won by RSC (referee-stopped-contest) over Milwin Anthony Ramirez in their 52 kg bout.
The 16-year-old Javier, who pummeled Ramirez to two standing eight counts and prevailed after just 43 seconds of the first round, will tangle with Maasin’s Alemar Javier for the gold medal. Javier beat Negros’ Milwin Anthony Ramirez, 10-4, in the other semifinal.
The lone junior girl’s encounter saw Jossa Santisteban of Bago City A win by RSC over Socorro Talamante of Tagbilaran in just 12 seconds of the first round.
Other winners: Alvin Sibugan and Raymart Flores (boys); Jeffrey Bagacay and Danjay Nietes (bantam). Other results: Youth—Alvin Sibugan d. Ronald Cerbito (RSC), Raymart Flores d. Minard Gana-an (RSC); Bantam—Jeffrey Bagacay d. Rolan Servania (31-23), Danjay Nietes d. Vicente Casido (17-3)