GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Call it sheer luck.
All seven boxers of self-financed Davao City team drew first round byes in the two-day PSC-Pacquiao Amateur Boxing Cup Mindanao Preliminaries at Robinsons Place here with one assured of a bronze medal while the other six will advance to the quarterfinals slated February 10 and 11 in Kidapawan City.
Librado Sagarino, Jr., headcoach of Davao City boxing team, said "Nakaluy-an rajud mi sa Ginoo, kabalo jud sya sa among kahimtang nga naningkamot rajud mi makaapil diri maski sariling gastos ra namo og sa mga parents sa boxers ang among pag-anhi (God is gracious, having seen our efforts and those of our boxers' parents to fund our trip here)."
The Dabawenyo coach said getting the byes is a big thing for them as it would give them ample time to prepare for the quarterfinals and semifinals.
"Dakong tabang jud ni kay maka-training pa mi og sakto. Sobra isa ka bulan nga conditioning dako jud nang mahimong improvement sa mga boxers (We could train enough. Over a month of conditioning will help improve the endurance of the boxers)," Sagarino said.
John Alvin Gonzales of Davao City National High School (DCNHS) will face off with a Kidapawan City boxer in the Mindanao youth boys 60-kilogram semifinals set on March 3, 2018 in Cagayan de Oro City.
Seeing action in the Kidapawan City quarterfinals are Dabawenyos Reymund Albupera and Emmanuel Canubas of Marilog National High School; Curt Nnelgy Manigsasa of the University of Mindanao (UM); Joshua Padual; John Ednoel Prevendido of Buhangin and DCNHS boxer Cyril Ivan Revilla.
Albupera will clash against an opponent from General Santos City in junior 48 kilograms (kgs) division while Canubas (junior 44-46 kgs) and Albay Palarong Pambansa gold medalist Prevendido (youth boys 46-49 kgs) will face tough foes from powerhouse Cagayan de Oro City.
Batang Pinoy national silver medalist Padual, for his part, will collide with the winner between Malungon's Zaldy Recopuerto and Sultan Kudarat's Remark Brillo in youth boys bantamweight (56 kgs) event while Manigsasa will set up a showdown with the winner of the bout pitting John Ignatius Macas of Cagayan de Oro City and Nino Kongkong of Koronadal City in youth boys flyweight (52 kgs).
Sagarino said he is confident that all six boxers will earn semifinals berths. "Salig ko nga kaya ra nila ilang mga kontra, mag-training ra jud mi og sakto (They can beat their opponents, we just have to train harder)."
First day round winners were Barangay Labangal's James Errol Gahaton, Barangay Aglayan of Malaybalay's Ben John Rey Yagahon and Sultan Kudarat's Jayson Brillo who just won tickets to the quarterfinals.
Gahaton beat Kim Jade Sagrado of Barangay Aglayan via unanimous decision in junior boys pinweight (44-46 kg) while Yagahon also won on the same note over Alvin John Sumodlayon of Barangay Labangal in their junior boys light flyweight (48 kgs) clash.
Brillo showed much firepower to subdue Malungon's Alfred Gomez in their junior boys light flyweight (48 kgs) encounter via unanimous decision.
The nationwide grassroots boxing program is presented by the Philippine Sports Commission and Senator Manny Pacquiao in cooperation with the Philippine Sports Institute and sanctioned by the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines. The Mindanao Preliminaries is also supported by the city government of General Santos.
Some 90 boxers from 11 areas in Mindanao are entered in the Mindanao leg of the PSC-Pacquaio Amateur Boxing Cup that will have 12 stops including Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao preliminaries, quarterfinals semifinals and finals.
All medalists in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao finals will earn spots in the national championship that will again have another set of preliminaries, quarterfinals and semifinals en-route to the national finals that will be held on May 5.