Raymond Intal of Talisay City put up a good fight but was simply outclassed yesterday by Robin Pelileo, an Australia-raised Filipino boxer seeing action in the featherweight (57 kgs) category of the 2009 National Amateur Boxing Championships at the Negros Occidental Multipurpose Activity Center.

It was a good fight and Pelileo delivered what was expected of him, said former Olympian Ricardo Fortaleza, who helped train Pelileo and other boxers of Black Town Hit Squad in New South Wales, Australia. Also joining the tournament with Pelileo is Afghan boxer Bashir Sadia who also trained with Fortaleza.

But while he complimented Intal for holding his ground against Pelileo, Fortaleza said the 16-year-old Australia-raised boxer had the fight under control since first round.

At his age, he has the skills and the power to become a better fighter and he is learning fast the techniques and scientific approach in boxing that his trainers are teaching him, Fortaleza said of his ward.

But while the fight ended 26-6 after four rounds in favor of Pelileo, he said Intal was a good boxer and he had a hard time beating him.

Sadia, who will see action tomorrow, has high regards for boxers from the Negros teams, saying they are among the best fighters in the tournament.

Also scoring a resounding victory yesterday was RP mainstay Albert Pabila who won on points against Northern Samar’s Lowen Bordeos.

Pabila led the cast of Negrense amateur standouts who advanced to the next round today after Bacolod City’s pride Gerson Nietes Nietes and Himamaylan’s Fernando Tacuyan won their respective fights.

Nietes tamed Iligan’s Dan Harold Layno, 6-2, and will face Mario Fernandez of Bukidnon in his next fight while Tacuyan beat to submission Bacolod City’s Arnolfo Toralba to strengthen his bid for the gold in school boys 37-38.5 kgs.

But not all was rosy in Negros teams’ corner as Bago City’s Dennis Galvar suffered a heartbreaking 27-30 loss against North Cotabato’s Gilbert Gonzales in 60 kgs. to follow teammate Ricardo Cabiloque to the exit door after the latter bowed to another North Cotabato fighter, Francis Abanilla, in the 54 kgs bout earlier.*NAB

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