Davao boxers sparkle, but none get best pug award

DAVAO CITY - Boxers from Davao Regional Athletic Association (DRAA) has dominated boxing in the 2008 Palarong Pambansa, but none of them emerged the best boxer in the eyes of technical officials that raised some eyebrows at the closing of the annual competition in Puerto Princesa. The officials picked Western Visayas' Gerson Nietes as winner of the coveted title instead. Nietes earned the title after beating Davraa pug Glenn Cantaveros, 52-38, in the pinweight gold medal bout held at the Puerto Princesa City Baywalk. Cantaveros salvaged silver. The rest of the four gold medals at stake were captured by Davraa's 15-year-old paperweight Engelbert Moralde and his 13-year-old brother powderweight John Vincent of Davao City, along with Panabo City's 14-year-old mosquitoweight Mark Anthony Barriga and 16-year-old light flyweight Jerwin Ancajas. The best boxer title was voted by technical officials who officiated the tournament and whose manager was Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) secretary-general Rogelio Fortaleza. Fortaleza's assistant told Sun.Star after the championships that "We were unanimous in our decision. Nietes was a standout having survived the bout up to the last round. He was the only one who finished the rounds and won while the rest of the winners won on RSC (referee-stopped-contest)." Engelbert defeated Jhon Merced of Mimaropa Region via RSC-OS (outscore), 24-9, with one minute and 24 seconds left in the first round, while John Vincent scored an RSC-OS (16-1) in Round 2 against John Dabert Arcita of Mimaropa. Barriga outpunched National Capital Region's (NCR's) Jerome Sarong with an RSC-OS (16-1) in the first round while Ancajas halted Nicko Tayo of the Zamboanga Peninsula Region in an RSC-OS (21-1) victory, 1:09 in the first round. With the euphoria of having defended the Palaro boxing championship, Davraa coaches Rolando Oring of Panabo and Efren Desierto of Davao City didn't even mind that none of their wards won the best boxer crown. "We are very happy to have defended the title despite having not swept all five golds just like we did last year in Koronadal. I'm very satisfied and contented with the performances of the boxers. I could not ask for more," Oring said in an interview. Oring and Desierto, however, are upbeat about their boxers' chances in the upcoming Smart National Youth Boxing Championships set in Iloilo City this month. - Sun.Star Davao