Amateurs put on show in ‘Duel’

Before Tinian’s Bert “The Puncher” Cano and Guam’s Errol Alegre thrilled the crowd with their knockout victories in Friday’s “Duel of Boxers”, six amateur boxers had their time to shine, providing those in attendance with an appetizer at the Garapan Central Park.

Opening the action was a battle between Tinian’s Jesse Garcia and Uden Asperin, with Garcia leaving the ring with a TKO of his own after Asperin retired just 51 seconds into the second round.

Both fighters came out charging in the opening round, trading punches, but Garcia managed to land the biggest blow, catching Asperin with a strong right hook to the head followed by a left jab. Asperin, however, retaliated and landed punches of his own before the round came to an end.

The two were well matched up at the start of the second round, but as the fight moved midway into the round, Garcia seemed to have control and began pounding away before Asperin retired.

The second bout featured Guam’s Jardis Ladrido and Saipan’s Aguinaldo Tesado pounding away at each other, with Ladrido taking the win.

Ladrido, said he only had a little over a week to prepare for the fight, however, credited his training for his win.

“A lot of it came down to training before the fight,” he said. “I only found out a week and a half before this happened that I was going to fight. I had to drop about almost 10 pounds, and trying not to pack in all the weight and not eating really set me down and I also had a little injury to the arm. [But] the training and sparring with Errol [Alegre], and coaching and all the boys that came down here with us, thanks for all the training and the help in the ring. Basically it all came down to instinct.”

He said boxing is a family sport and intends on “carrying it out.”

The final amateur bout was an exhibition between Saipan fighters Chris Sablan and Juan Miguel.

Miguel used his quickness to get out of the way of several powerful punches by Sablan, who landed five hard left hooks in the third round.

Sablan was the aggressor, but Miguel proved to have what it takes as he lasted the whole way, even catching Sablan on several punches.

No official winner was declared because the match was an exhibition. Both fighters hugged at the end of the bout.

The fights featured two-minute rounds with one-minute breaks in between.

Duel of Boxers was headed by Leo-An International Entertainment and Sports Promotion and sponsored by Shirley’s Coffee Shop, RJL Cargo, Pacific Trading Co., Church’s Chicken, Ysabel’s Restaurant, YCO Corp., Alamo Rent A Car, Verizon, and Shell Marianas.