NORTH COTABATO BOYS SCORE 6 WINS ON DAY 1

Iloilo City - The brave young boys of North Cotabato made their presence felt in the National Youth Boxing Championships right on Day 1 when they scored 6 wins in their first 6 assignments on the way to the finals.

North Cotabato head coach Dante "Bruce" Lerio told www.thepinoyboxers.com last night that the youngest in the 16-boy team, 11-year-old Federico Ame scored the first victory by outpointing Mario Britania of Negros Occidental in the No Weight division.

Ame, child of a sidewalk vendor from Midsayap town, started the series of victories by the boys from North Cotabato by outpointing a member of the Negros Occidental team which is considered as one of the strongest groups in the tournament.

First day winners:
1. Federico Ame, 11, (North Cot) defeats Mario Britania (Negros Occ), No Weight division;
2. Ricky Ayson, 14 (North Cot) defeats Arnel San Llamas (Masbate), Jr. Lightmosquito Weight division;
3. Leopoldo Lumacad, 13 (North Cot) defeats Paul Saguipan (North Samar), Jr. Mosquito Weight Division;
4. Darwin Pedregoza, 16, (North Cot) defeats Melvin Jeto (Puerto Princesa), Pinweight Division;
5. Joemar Lumacad, 16, (North Cot) defeats Irvin Borbon (Cebu City), Lightflyweight Division;
6. Lyounney Lerio, 16, (North Cot) defeats Calinan, Davao City boxer (name not immediately available), Pinweight Division

The 10 other members of the North Cotabato boys team, bannered by 2-time National Youth Gold Medallist (Boys Category) Ramshane Sarguilla, 14, are set to see action today.

Also in the team are the big boys who are being closely monitored because of their potentials as future professional boxers. They are Gilbert Gonzales, who at 15 is already 5' 6" tall and is fighting in the featherweight division; Benjie Artaba, 17 and 5' 7" in height who is in the bantamweight division; Arnel Gepullano, 15 years old and 5' 6" tall in jr. bantamweight division; and the 14-year-old "natural talent" Ramshane Sarguilla who earned the admiration of pro trainer, Nonito Donaire, Sr., father and trainer of world flyweight champion Nonito Jr.

"It is not often that you get to see a boy with natural boxing talents. Sarguilla has what it takes to be an Olympian -- fast, shifty and brainy," Donaire said of the young North Cotabato boxer after seeing him in sparring.

North Cotabato Vice Governor Manny Pinol said the team members are among the young boys selected during the Paboksing Para sa Masa program of the Provincial Government.

Under the program, boys with potentials in amateur boxing are brought to the Provincial Capitol compound where they train. They go to school at the Amas Public Elementary and High School located right in front of the provincial capitol compound in Kidapawan City.

They are trained by a group of coaches who underwent a year-long coaches' training program conducted by Cuban national coach Honorato Espinosa who stayed in North Cotabato for over 1 year.

Those who have the potentials are allowed to turn professional after their amateur stint while those who are not expected to make it big as boxers are encouraged to go to college under North Cotabato's college scholarship program.

Among those who have graduated from the program are professional boxers Glenn Porras (WBO Asia Pacific Youth Bantamweight Champion), Glenn Gonzales (WBO Asia Pacific Youth Featherweight Champion currently in the US under contract with Top Rank Promotions), Edrin Dapudong (WBO Asia Pacific Miniflyweight Champion), Jr. Featherweight Reynaldo Belandres (7 wins, 5 KOs, 0 loss), Jr. Featherweight Rolando Magbanua (7 wins, 5 KOs, 0 loss), Jr. Featherweight Lorenzo Villanueva (7 wins, 7 KOs, 0 loss) and Strawweight Rommel Asenjo (6 wins, 6 KOs, 2 losses).(www.thepinoyboxers.com)