Boxing superstar and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao inspired the young and upcoming boxers with his presence at the PLDT-ABAP National Amateur Boxing Championships that opened at the Digos City Stadium on Wednesday.

Pacquiao, who was flanked by Mayor Jojo Peñas and Davao del Sur Gov. Claude Bautista expressed his thanks to the people of Digos who embraced him as their own when he was a neophyte trying to learn the ropes of the game back in 1992.

“I started my boxing career here in Digos City and I am proud to claim that I came from here. I could have brought this tournament elsewhere but I choose to hold the National Championships here because I owe it to the people. This is my way of saying thank you,” Pacquiao said.

All the fighters displayed their best with Pacquiao watching, including the four national pool members, the Kazakhstan-bound and Asian games gold medalist Rey Saludar of Polomolok, South Cotabato, the China-bound Ian Clark Bautista from Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, Charlie Suarez of Davao del Norte and Junrel Cantancio of Bago City – who did three rounds of exhibition matches.

But according to ABAP executive director Ed Picson, the exhibition matches were part of the selection process for the Philippine boxing delegation to the Asian Games in Incheon, Korea in September.

Bautista defeated Suarez by split decision in the flyweight category match while Suarez scored a unanimous decision win over Cantancio in the lightweight match.

The most impressive winner of the night was Cebu City’s Marco Pomar who scored the TKO win over Danny Boy Tan of San Fernando, La Union at the 1:59 of round 3 in the Youth Boys' Light-Flyweight fight.

Two fighters from the two Pacman-Digos City team, School Boys' Paperweight (44kg) Division fighter Dhan Ariel Adolfo and Youth Boys' Light-Flyweight (49kg) campaigner John Paul Bentoso, passed their initial test to advance to the next round.

Adolfo scored a hardly earned split decision win 2-1 over Rovemil Son Dakila of General Santos City while Bentoso eliminated their category’s top bet Cresan Paul Dicamos of Bago City with a unanimous decision 3-0.

The other winners included School Boys' Paperweight campaigners Rennie Boy Ferraren of Zamboanga City over Sergio Villagonzalo of Lutayan, and J-Mar Jaga of Bago City win over Nenito Anislag of Cagayan de Oro City, Jonjie Maritana of Tayabas, Quezon in the Jr. Boys' Pinweight (46kg) match against Shaquel Miole of Maasin City and Youth Boys' light-flyweight Jay-R Arcilla of Mandaluyong City who beat Bonnie Lamberto of Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat – all via unanimous decision.*PNA

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