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RP boxers dominate Guam goodwill tourney
Written by staff   
Wednesday, 21 January 2009 02:39

The Philippine-Smart PLDT team came a win short of completing a six-fight sweep of Guam’s national squad in an impressive show of force in the Goodwill Amateur Boxing Tournament this weekend at the Dededo Sports Complex in Hagåtña, Guam.

Light welterweights John Rey Melligen and Jameboy Vicera stood at the forefront of the Filipinos’ onslaught that saw the nationals dominating five of the six matches arranged by the Guam Amateur Boxing Federation (GABF) in cooperation with its counterpart, the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP).

Melligen was the most impressive of the six-man RP squad, scoring a second round Referee Stopped Contest (RSC) win over Shaun Santos, while Vicera staggered and bloodied the stocky and aggressive Jashua Herrera on the way to a unanimous decision win in two of the featured light-welterweight fights (64 kgs) for the dual meet.

“Iginanti ko lang po si Tacuyan. Sa loob-loob ko, kailangan knockout talaga para convincing ang panalo," said the shy, soft spoken 18-year old Melligen, brother of pro boxer and former national team member Mark Jason Meligen, who was among those surprised when the outcome of Tacuyan’s split decision win was overturned during the earlier bout at the lightweight class (60 kg).

Tacuyan, the lanky but talented 17-year old kid from Angeles City, had been declared winner and was already dressing inside the festive-like RP dugout when he was asked to climb the ring again and announced that he lost a bout he controlled majority of the way despite fighting with a hurting right hand the Filipino suffered early in the first round.

“Panalo na, natalo pa," said the son of former RP boxing team stalwart Orlando Tacuyan Sr. The young Tacuyan was later brought to the hospital where x-ray showed a mild crack in his right hand.

But beyond that minor setback, there wasn’t trouble the rest of the way for the nationals.

Aston Francis Palicte jabbed and toyed his way around with Roel Ubaldo in a bantamweight encounter (54kgs), Adones Cabalquinto Lauronal was just as imposing in a victory over Kyle Reyes in an action-packed welterweight match (69kgs) while newcomer Nesthy Petecio fought like a grizzled veteran, wowing the big paying crowd with her fancy footwork and constant showboating in a striking win over basketball player turned boxer Gianna Sarusal in the lone female match up at the featherweight class.

Cano Collazo-Cruz, the man responsible for the Goodwill tournament he put up in cooperation with Guam Governor Felix Perez Camacho and Lt. Gov. Michael Cruz, is hoping a similar meet will be staged in Manila sometime this year.
 
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