By JOEL C. ESCOL, Managing Editor
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Grassroots boxers from this city are now getting noticed in international boxing arenas.
Following the fortune of Cagayan de Oro’s boxing pride Carlo Paalam, who just recently booked a ticket to the Paris Olympics in August, Renato Jabiniao once again proved that the boxing training in this city is worth it.
Jabiniao scored a knockout win after successfully stopping his opponent from Belarus, Andrei Matveyeu in the second round, to become the first Mindanaoan boxer in the Best Fist League (BFL) bare knuckle boxing tournament held in Thailand on May 11, 2024.
“Patsada ang atong training sa boxing dire sa Cagayan de Oro kay daghan na nisikat sa laing lugar nga mga Cagayan de Oro boxers,” Jerry Marvan, a boxing enthusiast said.
He said aside from Tokyo Olympic boxing silver medalist Carlo Paalam, other boxers who also started their boxing journey in Cagayan de Oro include the Pagara brothers.
Cagayan de Oro’s veteran boxing Coach Elmer Pamisa said in an online press conference Tuesday that with Paalam’s good fortune, three more boxers in this city are showing great potentials to become the next boxing olympians. Pamisa said they were Eljay Pamisa, Mark Lester Durens, and Jericho Acaylar. Ricky Vargas and Ed Picson, the president and secretary-general, respectively, of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) who is present during the press conference have already committed to support the young boxers in Cagayan de Oro.
Meanwhile, on the same event in 2023, Filipino warriors Jose Roda Jr. and Elmar Zamora delivered thrilling KO victories at the FCC Boxing Gym in Pattaya Beach, Kingdom of Thailand.
Welterweight Jose “Berdugo” Roda Jr. (9-4-2, 2 KOs), hailing from the paradise province of Romblon in the Mimaropa region of the Philippines, secured a fast and furious first-round TKO win over Thailand’s Tawaen Sakaew.
Displaying confidence and strength, Roda meticulously searched for an opening in Tawaen’s guard, ultimately finding one at the end of the first round, delivering a decisive blow that rocked and damaged the Thai fighter, resulting in an electrifying victory for the Filipino.
This non-title bout was promoted by FCC Boxing in association with the Highland Boxing Gym.
In the same show, undefeated Filipino flyweight Elmar “Samurai” Zamora (6-0, 4 KOs) followed suit, overwhelming Thai fighter Pobtham Julla for another swift knockout victory. ###
