PAGADIAN – Boxers backed by popular ring icon Manny Pacquiao captured most of the golds up for grabs at the close of the POC-PSC Phiippine National Games Mindanao eliminations here on Monday.
General Santos pugs topped that list with four golds, led by Jhon Peter Patrick Cagumay, who scored an impressive fourth-round technical knockout win over Bayog’s Roque Tapayan in the junior boys bantamweight division at the Combat Sports Arena inside the Provincial Government Center.
RV Denega topped team PacMan’s Richard Bulacan, 2-1, in the boys flyweight division, Jayson Mama carved a unanimous decision triumph Sarangani province’s Rodrigo Belinggan in the boys flyweight class, Regel Lou Alde beat Digos City’s Jerson Bancil by a 2-1 decision in the men’s elite flyweight category for GenSan’s other victories.
Team Pacman took two golds with feisty Jean Minguillian dominating Zamboanga City Rosmil Samson, 3-0, while Rey Tagulaylay proved too much for Digos City’s Jeremy Puno, 3-0, in the men’s elite light flyweight championship in the meet organized by the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission.
Zamboanga City and the town of Guipos, Zambonga del Sur secured a pair of mints each in the sportfest supported by the Zamboanga del Sur provincial government led by Gov. Antonio Cerilles, who hosted the PNG as part of the highlights of the province’s 63rd founding anniversary.
Rennie Boy Ferraren beat Team Pacman’s Jestine Tesoro, 2-1, in the boys light bantamweight class while Romer Dagoy whipped Manti’s Aljum Pelesio, 3-0, in the boys bantamweight category for Zamboanga City’ victories.
Guipos boxer Sherwin Anthony Marcial overwhelmed Cagayan de Oro’s Renato Victolero, 3-0, and teammate Dennis Gaan outslugged CDO’s Roel Otaza, 3-0, in ruling the boys lightweight and men’s elite light welterweight championship matches, respectively.
Sarangani’s Dave Apolinario defeated Zamboanga City’s Archie Galvez, 3-0, in securing the boys light flyweight crown while Cabadbaran’s Felmar Antiga vanquished GenSan’s Jan Ramil Boloy, 3-0, in bagging the boys featherweight title.
Lutay’s Carolyn Calungsod clobbered GenSan’s Roxan Capawan, 3-0, in annexing the girls bantamweight championship while Pagadian Mohammad Khader Banua subdued Cagayan de Oro’s Denmark Quibido, 2-1, in the men’s bantamweight finals for the other victories.
Cabadbaran’s Earl John Zamora, a former member of the NU varsity squad, topped the men’s standard competition in chess while Davao City’s Mary Jonah Lequin took top honors in the women’s standard division.
The gold, silver and bronze medalists in the Mindanao eliminations qualify for the PNG national finals next year in April.