ABARRA, OLONGAPO’S PRIDE

Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. acknowledged before the city government officials and employees Larry Abarra, a rising boxer and a bonafide Olongapeño during the flag raising ceremony held at the Rizal Triangle Multi-Purpose Covered Court on October 6, 2008.

Abarra, nineteen years old, resident of Barangay Barretto, member of the Philippine Boxing team and member of the Southeast Asian Games for 2009 Contingent to Laos started his career as a boxer in Olongapo City.

Olongapo City Amateur Boxing Association President and Youth and Sports Coordinator Angie Layug monitored his boxing career since 2006 until last year where he transferred and continued his training in Baguio City.

It can be recalled that it was in Mayor Gordon’s project, “Paboksing ni Mayor sa Barangay” in 2006 where Abarra had his first fight and showed his boxing skills.

“Nakikita ko si Larry has a potential, kaya baka mamaya maging champion ito gaya ni Manny Pacquiao. Hindi ako boksingero, pero magaling din akong manood ng boksing, nakikita ko malakas siyang sumuntok, sana maging successful siya, suportahan natin,” Mayor Gordon said.

Mayor Gordon appealed to all city officials and employees to support Abarra in his career morally and financially. Abarra has to travel back to Baguio City to continue his training and spend the rest of the year mastering his craft.

Masayang ipinakilala ni Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. ang sumisikat na tubong Olongapong boksingerong si Larry Abarra sa Rizal Triangle Multi-Purpose Covered Court pagkatapos ng flag raising ceremony nitong Oktubre 06, 2008.

Olongapo's Martin won gold, Abarra Silver

Martin of Olongapo retained his welterweight crown by winning over Joseph Lopez of Camiguin by retirement in 1:12 of the third round as Asian Games bronze medalist Godfrey Castro of Philippine Army denied Olongapo a second gold when he beat Larry Abarra in the bantamweight finals via a referee stopped contest-outscored (RSC-O) in the third round.

Tacuyan completes amazing show; Dodie Boy son shines


By Dennis U. Eroa - Inquirer Libre


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Lanky Orlando Tacuyan Jr. put an exclamation point to a memorable week by capturing the featherweight gold even as a junior boxer from a family of world champions shone at the close of the 2007 Smart National Open Boxing Championships at the Misamis Oriental Capitol Saturday night here.

The 5-foot-9 Tacuyan, whose go-go style belies his young age, proved that his string of victories over rated foes was no fluke as he dealt Charly Suarez a 51-43 beating to emerge on top of the 57-kg class.

A member of the national training pool based in Baguio City, the 19-year-old Tacuyan punished his foe with combinations to the head to claim his first gold in the annual slugfest.

Tacuyan’s impressive performance earned him the tournament’s Best Boxer Award, a feat widely applauded by a huge gallery that included legendary Cuban mentor Dr. Alcides Sagarra Caron.

“I’m delighted to win the gold, especially after beating two members of the national team,” said Tacuyan, son of a former RP fighter and a policewoman who shocked Doha Asian Games gold medalist Joan Tipon in the first round.

Tipon and Suarez earned the nod of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines, headed by Manny T. Lopez, to compete in the World Boxing Championships starting Oct. 18 in Chicago, Illinois.

Sharing the limelight with Tacuyan was Dodie Peñalosa, who gave Cebu City a bantamweight gold in the Cadet (15-17 years) division.

With his father and former world champion Dodie Boy at his corner, the young Peñalosa wowed the crowd with his ring savvy en route to a 21-11 win over Warren Baterta of host Misamis Oriental.

Pinweight Conrado Tañamor and Artist Martin also won impressively in the junior division.

Tañamor, younger brother of two-time Olympian Harry, pocketed the pinweight gold by outclassing Jomar Cordinillo of Tagbilaran (RSC-O, 3rd round) while Martin of Olongapo retained his welterweight crown by winning over Joseph Lopez of Camiguin by retirement in 1:12 of the third round.

Asian Games bronze medalist Godfrey Castro of Philippine Army denied Olongapo a second gold when he beat Larry Abarra in the bantamweight finals via a referee stopped contest-outscored (RSC-O) in the third round.

Bill Vicera gave Philippine Navy-Bago City the first of its five golds by mauling Ritchie Behec of Davao del Norte in the veterans’ pinweight finals.

Navy, which unseated Army as overall champion, also won golds courtesy of light-flyweight Albert Pabila, lightweight Joegin Ladon, welterweight Larry Semillano and light heavyweight Junie Tizon.

Pabila, who shocked Harry Tañamor in the preliminaries, whipped Frederick de la Cruz of Davao City (RSC-O, 2nd round); Ladon bested Armyman Genebert Basadre, 40-33; Semillano humbled Wilfredo Lopez, 32-19, while Tizon downed Almar Adiong (retired, 3rd round).

Light-flyweight Violito Payla gave Army its second gold via an RSC-O (Referee Stopped Contest-Outclassed) win in the third round over Rey Saludar of Davao del Norte.

Armyman Max Tabangcora pocketed the heavyweight gold over teammate Maraon Golez (RSC-O, 3rd round).

Light welterweight Delfin Boholst gave host Misamis Oriental its lone gold over Armyman Anthony Igusquiza, who retired due to a bleeding left eyebrow.

Olongapo sluggers in 2007 National boxing finals

Filipino-American slugger Larry Abarra of Olongapo City punched his way to the bantamweight finals even as the favorites prevailed on the penultimate day of the 2007 Smart National Open boxing championships Friday at the Misamis Oriental Capitol in Cagayan de Oro. Semillano, another resident of Olongapo City, guns for the welterweight gold against the tall and powerful Wilfredo Lopez.

Abarra, a bronze medalist in the 2006 National Open in Tubod, Lanao del Norte, stunned Zamboanga City's Noel Binbernaldo with punishing left and right combinations to the head to score a Referee Stopped Contest-Outclassed win in 1:17 of the first round.

The win set up Abarra against Doha Asian Games bronze medalist Godfrey Castro who stopped Jeffrey Suan of host Misamis Oriental via another RSC-outscored win.

By the time, the referee signaled the end of the one-sided bout, Castro, a member of the national team, was ahead on points, 25-5.

Two battle-scarred veterans--Larry Semillano and Anthony Igusquiza--try to defy Father Time as they advanced to the finals.

Semillano, a 2000 Sydney Olympian representing the Philippine Navy, won via RSC-outscored after 56 seconds of the second round over Davao City's Isaac Tijlin.

Semillano, who is now a resident of Olongapo City, guns for the welterweight gold against the tall and powerful Wilfredo Lopez, who also stopped Marlon Borja of Davao City (RSC, second round).

Igusquiza of the Philippine Army engaged veteran Ferdie Gamo in a vicious exchange of punches right from the opening bell en route to a close 38-36 victory.

Like Semillano, Igusquiza, a bronze medalist in the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games, is up against Delfin Boholst, also a member of the national team bound for Chicago.

Boholst gave host Misamis Oriental something to cheer about as he hardly worked up a sweat in scoring an RSC-outscored win over Adonis Cabalquinto in 54 seconds of the second round of their light welterweight semis.

Another national training pool member, Bill Vicera of PN/Bago City, made his way to the finals of the pinweight division by beating Rey Mercado of Cotabato via RSC-outclassed with 1:29 minutes left in the first round.

Vicera also faces a tall order in the finals against Davao Del Norte's Rechie Behec, who won on points over the favored Michael Paragoso of Zubiri Boxing Team, 34-28.

It will be Genebert Basadre of the Philippine Army against Joegin Ladon of PN/Bago City-A in the lightweight finals. By Dennis U. Eroa - Inquirer