Olympic boxer loses to unknown at Nat'l Open

Olympian light flyweight Harry Tanamor bowed to unknown Albert Pabila of the Philippine Navy Tuesday night in the 2007 Smart National Open Boxing Championships in Cagayan de Oro City, according to a statement issued Wednesday by the organizing Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP). Last Tuesday, Tanamor lost to the much younger and less experienced Pabila, 2-3, in a close encounter held in front of the Misamis Oriental provincial capitol. "Masaya po ako dahil kahit papaano nagkakumpyansa po ako sa pagkapanalo ko," Pabila said. "Ngayon lang po ako nanalo sa kanya. Talo po ako palagi sa kanya sa tatlong beses naming na laban." The 29-year old Tanamor was a gold medalist in the 2003 and 2004 South East Asian Games. He saw action in the 2004 Athens Olympics where he reached only the first round. He is now part of the seven-man RP team that will seek an Olympics berth on October 18 at a qualifying tournament to be staged in Chicago in the United States. Tanamor did not look upset by his loss to Pabila, even flashing smiles as he faced the sports writers covering the weeklong slug fest, which serves as a performance test for future members of the national training pool. "Wala naman yon," Tanamor said. "Ngayon nga lang siya nanalo sa kin. Isa pa di pa naman ako naka-recover. Kadadating ko lang galing ng Czech Republic, at nalaman ko lang to (tournament) ilan araw na lang bago magsimula. Wala halos kami pahinga." Second upset Tanamor thus became the second favorite via an upset, after Joan Tipon, who was sent packing by an upcoming boxer from Angeles City in Orlando Tacuyan last Monday (October 1). The other favorites –bantamweight Godfrey Castro, lightweight Genebert Basadre, and Philippine Navy's Joegen Ladon – earned convincing victories over their opponents. Castro, an Army corporal, who is seeking his third gold in this annual slug fest prevailed over a hard-fighting Jay-R Quiam of the Elorde Boxing team, 8-5 , to advance to the semifinals. "Nakipagsabayan ako sa kanya agad sa first round dahil alam ko naman ang galaw niya," Castro said of Quiam. "Pero iba ang kinalabasan dahil konti lang ang lamang ko sa puntos sa first round. Kaya gumamit na ako ng tactics sa ssecond to fourth round." The 22-year-old Castro hopes to make it to the RP team which is competing in the upcoming Southeast Asian Games in Thailand. "Balak ko talaga tapusin na sa first round yung laban kay Quiam dahil may galaw din at mataas pa siya sa kin. Eh yun nga, iba ang naging resulta," added Castro, who hails from Cadiz City in Negros Occidental. Basadre won over Roberto Vito Del Rosario of Philippine Navy-Bago City-C via referee-stopped contest-Outclassed with 1:42 left in round one. Ladon, silver medalist in the 2005 Manila Sea Games and Helsinki Invitational in Finland, also outclassed hometown bet Listriano Tappcine of Misamis Oriental to reach the quarterfinals. The RP team going to Chicago this October is composed of light flyweight Harry Tanamore, flyweight Violito Payla, bantamweight Joan Tipon, featherweight Charlie Suarez, lightweight Genebert Basadre), light welterweight Delfin Boholst, and welterweight Wilfredo Lopez. - GMANews.TV