Pinoy Ladon outpoints Argentine foe in Doha

Doha, Qatar – Feisty Rogen Ladon reprised the relentless attacking style he first displayed in the Asian Championships in Bangkok last month, to score the very first win in the World Boxing Championships and Olympic Qualifiers at the ultra-modern Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiya Arena.
Ladon fought Tuesday afternoon in the first bout of the tournament against  World Series of Boxing (WSB) veteran Leandro Blanc of Argentina.
Ladon quickly went to work in the first few moments of the fight, delivering various combinations to the head and body of the startled Argentinian.
“Medyo matigas din at malakas ang kaliwa pero nung makuha ko na ang timing ko, alam ko na paano ko siya patatamaan,” said the soft-spoken Bago City native. (He’s tough too and his right is strong but when I got my timing, I knew how to hit him.)
The three judges from Belarus, Lithuania and Trinidad and Tobago all returned identical scores of 30-26 for the Filipino after three rounds.
Ladon’s next fight will be today against the number 1 seed, Mexican Joselito Velazquez Altamirano.
The 21 year-old Ladon is one of two Filipino boxers here after qualifying via the Asian Championships last month. The other is welterweight Eumir Felix Marcial.
Meanwhile, AIBA president Ching Kuo Wu held a press conference here Tuesday noon and announced that Manny Pacquiao accepted his personal invitation and will arrive today morning.
The surprise announcement was met by cheers from the dozens of international media men who are here to cover the championships.
Philippine Ambassador to Qatar Wilfredo C. Santos is expected to be at the Hamad International Airport to welcome the visiting congressman from Saranggani and eight-division world champion.