CEBU, Philippines – Young amateur pugs from the famed ALA Boxing Gym propelled Team Mandaue City in winning the overall championship of the recent Batang Pinoy regional tournament held in Kalibo, Aklan.
Team Mandaue finished the tournament with five gold and two bronze medals as rival Team Cebu City ended up with a first runner–up honors with 3-1-1 gold-silver-bronze medal finish.
John Nino Vega (36 kgs), Vicente Sios-e (46 kgs) and last years’ Batang Pinoy National Champion Dominique Casanara (52 kgs) led Team Mandaue with one gold apiece.
Other ALA boxers who gave Team Mandaue golds were Danrick Sumabong (52 kgs) and Carl Cortes (54 kgs), as Patrick Gantuangco contributed one bronze. Reiner Rana of Phil-Aust Boxing stable also handed Team Mandaue its final bronze medal.
The supremacy of the Mandaue City Boxing Team during the Visayas Regional Boxing Tournament can be attributed to the year-round grassroots program of ALA Gym and Phil-Aus Boxing Gym under the tutelage of coach Rei Munez of ALA Gym and Edcel Tunacao of Phil-Aust.
The boxing team is expected to make a courtesy call to Mayor Jonas Cortes to be arranged by Mandaue City Sports Commission Executive Director Ricardo Mendoza. (FREEMAN)