Four for Four!

Four for Four!

Tampere, Finland- The PLDT-ABAP National Boxing Team wrapped up its campaign in the quarterfinal round of the 31st Tammer Cup here with a perfect slate as Flyweight Rey Saludar reprised his younger brother Victorio's earlier stoppage of a boxer from UAE Friday evening.

This time the victim was Ahmed Al Mesmari, also from the UAE, who got his third standing 8-count with 1:39 left in the first round. Amateur boxing rules call for an automatic halt to a match when one boxer is given the standing count 3 times in a round.

Mesmari actually gamely tried to engage Saludar toe-to-toe but that proved to be his undoing as he absorbed a rainfall of power shots from the Filipino army man. He probably did not want to go down the way his compatriot did against Victorio, without landing a single punch. He did throw a number of shots, but none were on target.

Earlier in the day, top Filipino bet Charly Suarez hurdled tough Russian Anatoly Borkeev in a battle of defensive savvy in the 56 Kg class that Suarez won by sheer grit and a load of patience, 2-1. 

"I felt I could beat him if I didn't lose my focus. It was a game of endurance and he blinked at least twice", said the 22 year-old Davao native in the vernacular. He faces Petteri Fjordholm of host country Finland in the semis.

Muscle-toned Light Welterweight Delfin Boholst likewise took the measure of Scotland's James Easton, opening up an early 2-0 lead. Easton however closed the gap, 2-1 in the seocnd round when the Gingoog City native seemed over-eager to score an abbreviated win. In the third round, Boholst settled down and displayed clinical precision as he scored clean shots for a convincing 4-1 win. His opponent in the semis is another Finnish boxer, Jarkko Potkonen who edged France's Hassan Amzile in the quarters, 2-1.

Victorio Saludar will try to get into the Finals of the prestigious tournament. Standing in his way is Artem Ivaschenko of Russia who eked out a 3-2 win last Thursday over Hungary's Robert Kanalas.

Rey Saludar has Declan Garraghty in the penultimate day of the tournament being held at the Pyynikin Palloiluhallissa Sports Hall in this charming northern city of Tampere.

Delegation head Ed Picson, executive director of ABAP was cautiously optimistic:"Our main goal here is to have a tough tune-up for the coming Asian Games. I think we're getting that. If we win a gold medal or four, that would be a welcome bonus."

The trip here is the last leg of the "Road to Asian Games" blueprint designed by ABAP president Ricky Vargas and given all-out support by multi-industry mogul Manny V. Pangilinan, chairman of ABAP and telecommunications giant PLDT. The long road started with box-offs in Baguio and Manila, training camps and tournaments in China and the United States and an international tournament in Manila-the MVP Cup.(pr)