PAGALA, SALUDAR STRIKE

ALBERT Pagala of Misamis Oriental throws a left hook at Harmon Jay Valedo of Baguio City in their quarterfinal match of the 2010 Smart-Abap National Amateur Boxing Championship Tuesday night at the Puerto Princesa coliseum. Pagala won via a referee-stopped contest in the second round.

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY-- Albert Pagala of Misamis Oriental and Victorio Saludar of Davao del Norte posted resounding victories as the bets from Mindanao continue to shine in the 2010 Smart-Abap National Amateur Boxing Championship Tuesday night at the Puerto Princesa coliseum here.

Pagala, the 17-year old brother of reigning Orient Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) champion Jason Pagala, booked a semifinal seat after stopping Harmon Jay Valedo of Baguio City in the second round of their junior boys’ flyweight showdown.

His victory sent five of the seven boxers under Misamis Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno to the semifinals of this prestigious five-day tourney aimed at scouting potential talents that will compete in the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympics in August.

“Araw-araw akong nage-ensayo dahil gusto ko talagang makalaro sa Olympics,” said the soft-spoken Pagala, who credited his mentors, Gilbert Basadre and 1990 Asian Games gold medalist Roberto Jalnaiz, for his impressive win.

Apart from Pagala, also barging in the semis for Misamis Oriental were Ronald Abid, Raymund Jhon Tabugon, Rafael Jalnaiz and his elder brother, Robert Miguel.

Abid stopped Angelo Ilagan of Tayabas City in the second round of their youth boys’ light flyweight encounter while Tabugon hacked a convincing 26-16 victory over Gedion Cordova of Bago City in the youth boys’ flyweight action.

The highly-skilled Rafael Jalnaiz, meanwhile, shocked Mindanao leg champion Robert Paradero with a 9-6 decision in the kids’ vacuum weight division while Robert Miguel stopped Romer Dagoy of Zamboanga City with 57 seconds left in the second round of their kids’ ant weight encounter.

But it was Saludar, the younger brother of RP Team mainstay Rey Saludar, who posted the most impressive win in this tournament.

Saludar unleashed a wicked left hook to knock-out Ronel Parcon of Bacolod City in the third round of their youth boys’ bantamweight showdown. His stunning feat earned the nod of national coaches Pat Gaspi, Boy Catolico, Romeo Brin and Roel Velasco who were watching at the sidelines to scout for potential talents .

“He’s a power puncher,” Velasco said.

Also claiming their respective quarterfinal tickets in the junior boys’ featherweight division were Camiguin’s Jayson Umbal, who won after Bacolod City’s Christopher Ganje was disqualified with a head butt; Aglayan Bukidnon’s Mario Fernandez, who scored a 10-4 decision over Cris Paulino of Manila; and Davao del Norte’s Raffy Cavan, who pulled a 12-9 victory over Palawan A’s Mesaek Alpuerto.

In the youth boys’ division, another Davao del Norte bet, Glen Cantaveros, planted a solid right straight hook to knock Dagupan City’s out in the second round while Angelo Marcial scored a 16-7 decision over Arnel Tapang of Mandaluyong City and Puerto Princesa A’s Ruiz Lorenzo Tesorio stopped Martin Cordova of Bago City in the first round.

In the youth boys’ flyweight category, James Dela Cerna of Mandaluyong City posted a convincing 22-14 win over Dave Asilo of Puerto Princesa C while Reg Milligin of Bacolod City outboxed Jayson Entia of Maasin City, 23-8.

In the kids’ kiddie weight division, Palawan’s Billy Ray Naelgas won over Tagbilaran City’s Regor Suganob, 18-3, while Andrei Monton of Tagbilaran City posted second round stoppage of Gabriel Rosas of Maasin City. -Philippine Boxing News