RP team trainees Castro, Ladon lead National Open Boxing

National training pool members Godfrey Castro and Joegen Ladon scored lopsided wins to lead the pack of pugilists at the opening of the National Open Boxing Championships Sunday night in Cagayan de Oro City. According to a statement on Monday by the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP), Castro, who has been in the training pool for six years now, easily disposed off Iligan City's Michael Denila via RSC-CCL (referee-stopped contest-compulsory count limit) in a bantamweight class fight, which keyed Philippine Army's early showing in the weeklong slug fest. "Medyo madali po ang laban ko kasi wala pa po gaano experience yung kalaban," Castro said. Castro, a 22-year-old Army corporal, was bronze medallist at the 2006 Doha Asian Games and a gold medallist in the 2006 National Open that was held in Palawan. The weeklong tournament serves as a performance test for boxers who hope to make it to the national training pool. Already on the national boxing team are Joan Tipon, Violito Payla, Genebert Basadre, Harry Tanamor, Charlie Suarez, Delfin Boholst, and Wilfredo Lopez. They will take part in the Olympic qualifying round on October 18 in Chicago in the United States. Blitz bout Castro blitzed his foe right in the first round with a barrage of punches so vicious that Denila failed to subdue, forcing the referee to stop the contest with still 1:29 minutes left. The win propelled Castro to the quarterfinals, and as it is, he may find it easy to get into the finals, since he has no tough opponents, save for Jay-R Quiam of the Elorde Boxing Team. Quiam won on points over Gary Lastrilla of Philippine Navy/Bago City, 27-16, in another bantamweight bout held in front of the Misamis Oriental provincial capitol. "Nakita ko po yung Quiam na nanalo din po," Castro said. "Baka siya po ang makalaban ko." Navy winners Navy Teams A and B also had a boxer each who won on opening day of the tournament. For Team A, Ladon earned an impressive win over Rexam Borja of Gingoog City via RSC-Outclassed in 1:59 of the first round of their lightweight division bout. Ladon, a 26-year-old Bago City native, is a two-time silver medallist, getting one medal in the 2003 Helsinki World Championship and another in the 2005 Manila Sea Games. For Team B, Rene Villaluz turned back Gary Garicia of Davao Del Sur in the same fashion, an RSC-O, in another lightweight division tussle. Hometown treat But the day belonged to the host province, Misamis Oriental, whose three boxers – bantam Jefferson Suan, lightweight Listraiano Tappcine and cadets Merlito Buhjan – gave the local fans a big treat. Suan proved steadier than Rubin Lobrido of the Philippine Navy/Bago City team whom he forced to retirement early in the fourth round of their bantamweight bout. Tappcine won on points over Leo Militante of Zamboanga City, 22-17, in their lightweight encounter, and Buhjah was declared winner by walkover over Adrian Lorin of Sorsogon. Lorin's teammate, Robert Reosabeno, avoided a shutout for Sorsogon as he made short work of Ranel Diacosta of Davao City, producing the win via RSC due to head blows right in the first round. Ironically, it Rafael Jalnaiz – the son of Roberto Jalnaiz, boxing champ at the 1990 Beijing Asian Games – who gave the host province its only disappointment. The young Jalnaiz lost on points to Romielyn Endaya of Bukidon, 3-12, in the kids' 26-kilogram class at Ring A. More than 200 boxers, representing 40 teams in Kids, schoolboys and in the higher weight categories, are taking part in this annual slug fest presented by the ABAP, which is headed by its president Manny Lopez. - GMANews.TV