Cebu’s amatuer boxing landscape is expected to take a drastic change with Tuburan’s solid grassroots program now going full throttle. (CDN FILE)
Tuburan, that massive town in northwestern Cebu, is largely popular for its crystal-clear springs, pristine beaches, rivers, caves and other natural splendors that draw adventure-seekers and nature-lovers.
Today, the municipality is offering something that may match, if not exceed the popularity of its natural treasures.
Meet Tuburan’s amateur boxers.
Young, quick, fearless and ruthlessly aggressive, they take no prisoners and would prefer to just let their fists do the talking.
Last Wednesday, Tuburan Mayor Aljun Diamante and Vice Mayor Danny Diamante proudly presented their young warriors in exhibition fights that highlighted the fiesta celebration of Kabangkalan, a mountain barangay.
Mayor Diamante told the packed crowd who swarmed the barangay’s basketball court that Tuburan will go full throttle in its search of homegrown sports heroes.
“This is grassroots development at its best, because while others conduct their tournaments in spacious gyms in the poblacion, we in Tuburan bring sports to the remote barangays,” Diamante said to the rapturous approval of his constituents.
The 10 kids, aged 12-17 are products of the town’s aggressive grassroots program for boxing and are being handled by Kabangkalan Barangay Captain Alan Balbedo and Francis Gonzales.
Impressive warriors
While six of them are tournament first timers, they definitely did not disappoint, especially since they were ranged against bigger fighters from perennial amateur boxing powerhouses Consolacion and Cebu City.
Five Tuburan fighters won while the other five – mostly neophytes – lost.
Anthony Arquilla led the hosts’ winners when the explosive 17-year-old outpointed JR Bergantin in their three-round tussle. Arquilla, according to Balbedo, is the reigning Provincial Meet gold medalist who failed to see action in the CVIRAA after suffering an injury during the Provincial Meet finals.
Another impressive upstart from the town is power-punching Ryan Maano who scored a second round TKO against Consolacion’s Giveheart Deresas.
Equally impressive are first-timers Rey Pepito and Roy Cabotuan.
Pepito outpointed Michael Penaranda of Cebu City in the card’s most entertaning fight while Cabotuan scored the biggest upset of the “Bakbakan sa Kabangkalan” card when he outlasted Roem Suico who is the nephew of the comebacking Randy “Kumong Bato” Suico.
Diminutive Wences Maranga brought truckloads of pride to his hometown when he beat Christian Balunan of Consolacion.
Other winners include Consolacion’s John Mark Andrino, Virgel Serrano and Joel Recabo, Bohol’s Garry Rojo and Cebu City’s Gadwin Noya who scored the event’s shortest victory. Gadwin stopped Tuburan’s Eric Jie Morato in the 1st round.
Widen search
Visibly elated and entertained by his young fighters’ performance, Mayor Diamante dipped from his pocket and increased the cash prize of the participants.
He would later thank those who made the tournment possible such as international boxing judge Salven Lagumbay who seamlessly handled the card’s technical needs and Cebu governor Hilario Davide whose road cementing project opened access to Tuburan’s mountain barangays.
Diamante also vowed to widen his search for boxing talents.
Tuburan indeed is well on its way to changing the province’s amatuer boxing landscape. And it is never short of brave, fierce, gutsy young warriors.
Because lest we forget, Tuburanons are direct descendants of revolutionary leader Arcadio Maxilom.