Mandaue nabs 3 finals spots, Cebu crashes

Monday, January 30, 2012

BAGO City sent four boxers into the finals, while defending titlist Mandaue had only three in the 2012 PLDT-ABAP Visayas Area Championships at the Robinson’s Mall in Dumaguete City.

The Ilonggos are set to reclaim their old glory in amateur boxing as lightweight James Palicte, pinweight Raymart Flores, lightflyweight Ramonito Ladon Jr. and light bantamweight Jesmar Martir defeated separate foes in the semifinal round Saturday.

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Palicte, a former national pool member, outclassed Mandaue City’s Eleno Traya via RSC in the third round of the youth lightweight class that triggered the team’s blazing assault.

Mandaue, which had six boxers reaching the semis, found only Kevin Jake Cataraja, Rolan Servania and Mardie Nuana clinching finals berths, which may affect its bid of retaining the overall crown.

Former champion Cebu City ended its hope of regaining the title after junior pinweight Junrel Jimenez was the only boxer who made it to the finals with Rodex Piala joining Steven Noblefranca in the bronze medals match of the youth light flyweight division.

“It was in 1999 that Bogo City won the our last national championships . Our boxing
program got weak after the support from the local goverment was cut. But now, we are slowly improving. I can’t say for now if we will win the overall title even if we have a lot of boxers in the finals because they are not assured of a victory,” said delegation coach Reynaldo Balboa.

Tagbilaran City, which will host the National Finals on March 4-7, also made its
mark with all three boxers keeping their hope alive.

Other results for the day saw Cantrel Cherwellan winning over Cebu City’s Steven Noblefrance, 8-7, in the youth bantamweight while Kenneth Centallan proved too much for Ronald Bryan Remedio of Mandaue City, 8-3, in the junior light flyweight class.

“We didn’t expect Cantrel to win because he’s a newbie. We are very happy that the three boxers we sent are all in the finals. I hope they can win so we can maintain the momentum, especially now that Tagbilaran is hosting the national finals,” said
Tagbilaran coach Alex Consigna.