Bright future for Pamisa

MANILA, Philippines — There’s a 5-6, 15-year-old Cagayan de Oro boxer who’s touted to be a rising star and ABAP secretary-general Ed Picson is bullish on his chances to someday become an Olympic champion.

Picson said Eljay Pamisa is now in the ABAP pool receiving a monthly allowance from PSC and trains at the PSC Teachers Camp in Baguio under coaches Gerson Nietes and Elias Recaido. “Eljay has his own style,” said Picson. “He moves a lot like Onyok (Velasco) but also has some deliberate and calculated moves. He’s young so still a work in progress. He’s got a great attitude, though and I hope he stays with that.”

Pamisa started boxing at eight and was taught the rudiments by his uncle Elmer, an ABAP coach. The youngest of five, he took to boxing like fish to water. An older brother Elric, 21, is an aspiring pro with a 1-2 record. Elric, a superflyweight southpaw, made his pro debut in 2018. Another brother is in the amateur ranks.   

Pamisa struck gold at the regional meet in Cagayan de Oro in 2017 and that same year, hit paydirt in the Mindanao leg of the Batang Pinoy National Championships in Oroquieta. In 2018, Pamisa went all the way to pocket the gold medal at the Batang Pinoy National Championships in Baguio.

In his first overseas outing last October, Pamisa made waves by bagging the silver medal in the pinweight division at the Asian Boxing Confederation Junior Championships in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. He was 14 then. The Philippine delegation was made up of Pamisa (44-46 kg), Jericho Acaylar (50 kg), Jimler Cubay (52 kg) and Dave Asi Laurejas (54 kg). Acaylar lost a 4-1 decision to Uzbekistan’s Anvar Boltebaev in his first bout. Cubay drew a bye in the opening session then fell sick and was hospitalized, forfeiting his next fight against Nepal’s Ali Khan Raban by walkover. Laurejas defeated Korea’s Kim Seongmin on points, 4-1, in his initial contest then bowed to Kazakhstan’s Nursultan Altynbek, 5-0, in his second assignment.

Pamisa made an auspicious debut with a 3-2 decision over Kazakhstan’s Nurkhan Zhylykbay then outpointed Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Po Hao, 4-1, in the quarterfinals and blanked Thailand’s Thanakom Aonyaem, 5-0 in the semifinals. In the finals, Pamisa dropped a 3-2 verdict to India’s Vishnavath Suresh. Pamisa made no excuses in letting the gold medal slip away. “Magaling si Suresh, mabilis, may lakas,” he said. “Sisikapin ko mag-improve sa training at kung sakali magkita uli kami, alam ko na kung anong gagawin ko.  Yung tinalo ko na taga-Kazakhstan, malaki sa akin. Ginamitan ko ng diskarte. Inutakan ko. Yung Thai, binuhos ko ang lahat.”

Pamisa said he still has a lot to learn in the gym. “Sa tingin ko, kulang pa ako ng suntok,” he said. “Kailangan ma-improve yung balance ko. Improve ko rin ang aking footwork, power at depensa. Dapat damihan ko ang suntok at unahan ko ang kalaban.”

Pamisa was in Grade 8 at Xavier University, Ateneo de Cagayan and will enroll in Grade 9, possibly in a Baguio school, for next schoolyear. He said he hopes to go far in his boxing career to make a better life for his family. His father Elvis is a tricycle driver and mother Majudy used to work in a hotel as a cleaner.

Pamisa will eventually campaign in the lightflyweight or flyweight division in the seniors. At the moment, he’s not sparring with ABAP’s top flyweights Carlo Paalam and Rogen Ladon who fight at a higher level. His dream is to follow in their footsteps. He’s aware of the Olympic medal exploits of the Velasco brothers Onyok and Roel. Someday, Pamisa said it’ll be his turn to stand on the Olympic podium. Will he go pro down the road? “Hindi ko alam, hindi ko pa iniisip yun,” he said. “Ang focus ko ngayon ay mag-improve sa ABAP at sundin ang lahat na tinuturo sa akin ng mga coaches.”