Abap tilt: Pacquiao pugs show way to finals

DIGOS CITY—Team Pacman made its presence felt in the PLDT-Abap National Amateur Boxing Championships at Digos City Gymnasium yesterday.

Fielding the most number of entries, the standouts from the Manny Pacquiao Boxing Academy here sent four bets, led by Ronald Alvarez, into the finals after the first 16 of 27 semifinal bouts.

Alvarez of Pacman B won by second round technical knockout (TKO) over Jerson Fabricante of Pacman A in the junior boys’ flyweight (50 kg) division to barge into today’s gold medal round with fellow Pacman B bets Jericho Sahohito in the junior boys’ light flyweight (48 kg) and Jean Minguillan in the junior girls’ pinweight (46 kg) and Pacman A’s Criz Sander Laurente in the junior boys’ pinweight (46 kg).

Sahohito bested Cagayan de Oro’s Junil Pamisa by split decision while Minguillan banked on a first round knockdown to escape with a split decision over Pacman A’s Judy Ann Oquindo.

Laurente, meanwhile, won by unanimous decision over Tayabas’ Jonjie Maritana. Bago City sent Mar Jaga into the school boys’ light pinweight (44 kg) finals with Mario Bautista in the junior boys’ light bantam (52 kg) and Mario Jaga in the junior boys’ bantam (54 kg).

Jaga beat Clear Suarez of Pacman A by split decision, Bautista won by second round TKO over Pacman A’s Jhon Patrick Cagumay, and Jaga bested Pacman A’s Freddie Gomera by split decision.

Others who advanced in the finals were Zamboanga’s Rennieboy Ferraren in the school boys’ paperweight (44 kg), Leyte’s Anduyan Milenino in the school boys’ light pin (46 kg), Cagayan de Oro’s Carlo Paalam in junior boys’ pinweight (46 kg), Tayabas’ John Paul Ramos in the junior boys’ light fly (48 kg) and Cebu’s Kit Ceron Garces in the junior boys’ flyweight (50 kg) and Tayabas’ Archie Estelleydes in the junior boys’ light bantam (52 kg).