Tagbilaran yields to Tacloban

Defending champion Tagbilaran City failed to sustain its winning run and gave up the crown to host Tacloban City at the end of the 20th Visayas Inter-City Amateur Boxing Developmental Championship the other night.

Tacloban salvaged the crown with three gold and two bronze medals after all its bets to the championship round won their fights.

Tagbilaran had two golds, two silver and three bronzes to settle for second while Mandaue City ended third with a gold, two silvers and bronzes apiece.

The M.Lhuillier Sports Development Foundation (MLSDF) and Cebu City Sports Commission-supported Cebu City Niños ended fourth with a gold, silver and two bronzes.

Guest team Burawin ended fifth with a silver and three bronzes and Palo, Leyte at sixth place with a silver and two bronzes.

Tacloban got its first gold courtesy of Efren Codera, who outsmarted Mandaue's Jefferson Barriga with a 3-2 victory in the 36 kilograms class.

Later, Codera was named Best Boxer for posting impressive and thrilling performances all throughout the tournament.

Romnick Villegas, 42kg bet, snatched the second gold for Tacloban at the expense of Burawin's Carlo Earnest Donato via a referee-stop-contest decision due to outclass, a minute and 19 seconds in the third round.

Junrell Casimiro sealed Tacloban's victory with a convincing 5-0 win against Cebu City's Jestoni Borres in the 45kgs division.

Tagbilaran, on the other hand, missed to defend their crown with a gold deficit after only taking two golds out of the four possible haul.

Gino Cabugngan snatched a 4-1 win against Gerald Suico of Mandaue in the 34kgs class while Marlon Arresga outclassed Arnulfo Agner in the 48kgs division's final showdown.

Wilbeth Loberanis saved the day of Mandaue after taking away the gold in the 38kgs with a clear 5-0 victory over Tagbilaran's Francis Lee Cutanda.

Like Loberanis, Jomari Yuson came to be Cebu City's savior, sending away Tagbilaran's Jimmel Barimbao, a minute and 28 seconds in the third round also with an RSC-O.

Virgie Lopez, a teacher by profession, added glitter to Cebu City's bid, however, after being named as the Best Referee in this 15-under action sanctioned by the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP)-Visayas overpowering the male referee-judges involved in the said event.