Davao Norte pugs pull off six victories

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Davao del Norte stamped its might with six gold medalists in the 2012 PLDT-Abap Mindanao Boxing Championship last night at General Santos Gymnasium in Barangay Lagao here.

Ra Bicycle Gabriel trounced Misamis’ Isagani Llaban, 26-16, to rule the youth pinweight division and lead the victorious Davaoeños in the tournament that lured 109 boxers from 19 teams to this hometown of eight-division world champ Manny Pacquiao.

Other Davao del Norte winners were Michael Jhon Bahena in junior boys’ light flyweight class, Mark Andy Austria (junior boys’ light bantam), Nelia Uba (junior girls’ flyweight), Philip Jay Verador (youth boys’ fly) and Marvilo Aballe (youth boys’ light).

Bahena bested John Paul Cristobal, 13-5, of Roxas City; Austria subdued Presco Carcosia Jr. , 19-13, of Misamis; Uba won by RSC (referee-stopped contest) over Michelle Rose Cabintoy of GenSan B; Jeson Umbal beat Jerson Ladrada of Balingasan; and Aballe trounced Jonathan Susada, 18-12, of GenSan A.

Verador was declared the winner over Roxas City’s Joey Antonio, who sustained a knee injury and had to be carried off the ring on a stretcher. Antonio was first proclaimed the winner by the referee.

Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines executive director Ed Picson said Verador was declared winner by the jury because he was ahead, 8-7, at the time of the stoppage.

Misamis came in second with three golds through Daniel Maamo (junior boys’ light fly), Samboy Lao (youth boys’ light fly), and Beverly Casero (youth girls’ fly).

GenSan A copped two golds through bantamweight Angelou Plania and Alexcel Dargantes (junior girls’ pinweight) while GenSan B snatched one through Reymark Ibones (junior boys’ pinweight).

Camiguin’s Umbal took the youth boys’ bantamweight gold at the expense of Balingasag’s Jerson Ladrada.