VICTORIO Saludar of Davao del Norte sends Willard Baguna of Puerto Princesa A down with a flurry of hard body punches in the youth boys' bantamweight quarterfinals of the 2010 Smart-Abap National Amateur Boxing Championship Thursday at the Puerto Princesa coliseum. Saludar stopped Baguna in the first 24 seconds of the bout.

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY-- Hard-hitting Victorio Saludar of Davao del Norte notched another remarkable win to barge into the finals of the 2010 Smart-Abap National Amateur Boxing Championship late Thursday at the Puerto Princesa coliseum here.

Punching with power and accuracy, the 18-year old younger brother of RP Team mainstay Rey Saludar needed only 24 seconds to crush Willard Baguna of Puerto Princesa C in the semifinals of their youth boys’ bantamweight match.

Baguna, who had to be carried down the ring by medical personnel after suffering a barrage of body blows, became Saludar’s latest victim since sending Ronel Parcon of Bacolod City to dreamland in the first round of their quarterfinal showdown Wednesday.

Parcon was downed for 30 seconds before he regained consciousness.

“Hard training kami ngayon kaya maganda ang kondisyon ko,” said Saludar, a first-year computer technician major at the Panabo College. “Pinaghandaan ko talaga ito dahil gusto ko mapasama sa RP Team at makalaro sa (Youth) Olympics.”

And with his strong performance, his wish seems very possible.

“He is the most consistent among all participants,” RP Team coach Pat Gaspi said. “He has speed, power and skills. But, of course, we still have to deliberate on his overall performance.”

Saludar will be clashing with Kiven James Gob of Tayabas City in the finals where 32 gold medals are at stake. Gob battered Gabriel Altarejos of the National Capital Region in their semifinal encounter, 20-8.

Other finalists in the youth boys division were John Merced of Puerto Princesa A and Aldrin Mori of Maasin City in the pinweight category, Glen Cantaveros of Davao del Norte and Ruiz Teosorio of Puerto Princesa A in the light flyweight category, Nico Magliquian of Tayabas and Jolan Bughanoy of Davao del Norte, Carlo Suello of Palawan A and Ian Abaniel of Puerto Princesa A in the featherweight class and Nathaniel Moltealto of Palawan A and Jheritz Chavez of Mandaluyong City in the lightweight class.

In the junior boys’ division, Mark Anthony Barriga of Davao del Norte and Albert Sumugat of Palawan A will clash in the finals of the pinweight class; Jefford Rodriguez of Puerto Princesa A and Engelbert Moralde of Davao City in the light flyweight class; Albert Pagala of Misamis Oriental and Mario Fernandez of Aglayan, Bukidnon in the flyweight class; James Palicte of Bago City and Robert Tompong of Palawan A in the bantamweight class; and Michael Delorino of Northern Samar and Mark Vincent Fernandez of Tagbilaran City in the featherweight class.

In the junior girls’ division, Lucy Bayo of Puerto Princesa A will collide with Aida Hugo of Puerto Princesa B in the finals of the pinweight class while Nilezza Petecio of Calinan, Davao City and Wenie Cline Verano of Valencia clash in the light flyweight finals and Catherine Jimena of Dexter Santos and Naome Tacda of Baguio City will square off in the finals of the bantamweight category.

The finalists in the kids’ division were; Ian Fabia of Puerto Princesa B and Dilmar Pillo of Boracay in the kiddie weight class, Rodel Pena of Puerto Princesa B and Romel Tunacao of Mandaue City in the cotton weight class, Rhezon Tarona of Mandaue City and Rafael Jalnaiz of Misamis Oriental in the vacuum weight class, Arville Olaivar of Tagbilaran City and Donnel Maamo of Misamis Oriental in the minimum weight class, and Ronel Tagamolila of Bago City and Reagan Rosales of Iligan City in the powder weight class.

Advancing to the finals of the school boys division are Raymart Alleva of Bago City and Michael Bahena of Davao del Norte in the light mosquito weight class, Elimir Marcial of Zamboanga and Rence Ryan Magarce of Davao del Norte in the mosquito weight class, Joven Labordo of Bacolod City and Welbor Tefolo of Palawan A in the light paperweight class, Alvin Sibogan of Bacolod City and Fernando Tacuyan of Mandaluyong City in the paperweight class, Cholen Albago of Bago City and Rodel Jaudian of Iligan City in the light pinweight class, and Sherwin Casiano of Taguig City and Geo Rea of Tayabas in the pinweight category.

Davao del Norte has the most number of finalists with seven wile Puerto Princesa C, Palawan A and Bago City have five boxers apiece.