Amateur fights thrill boxing fans

Nonoy Gonzales and Bert Dalisay may have gotten most of the spotlight during Sunday’s Saipan Boxing Battle of Champions at the Garapan Central Park, but six amateur boxers from Saipan and Guam also gave the crowd much to cheer about.

Rising star Jose Ramos of Guam kicked off the evening’s boxing fest, landing a variety of punches on Juan Miguel of Saipan before ending the bout in the second round.

Determined not to let the outcome of the match be decided by the judges, Ramos worked his magic and connected on hard punches before winning by knockout just 2:32 into the second round.

For his part, Aquinaldo Tesado fought with pride and represented Saipan well, going the distance against Guam’s Robert Doseo and winning by way of unanimous decision.

Both fighters held their ground and connected on furious blows, but in the end of their three-round bout, Tesado earned the judges’ nod and scored the win with a score of 49-46.

The final amateur bout of the evening featured Saipan’s Chris Sablan taking on Albert Rosario of Guam. Sablan was the aggressor at the sound of the opening bell, attacking the 160-lb. Rosario with powerful right hooks and jabs to the head as well as punches to the body, but his fury did not shake up the Guamanian, who defended well and prevented Sablan from landing a knockout punch.

Sablan seemed to have problems with his protective headgear, resulting in the referee stopping the fight on several occasions to adjust the equipment.

Almost midway through the round, Rosario unleashed a barrage of punches and landed several of them to the head and body of Sablan. The referee stepped in between the two fighters, and after consulting with Sablan, awarded Rosario with the technical knockout victory just 1:32 into the first round.

Sablan didn’t seem to have been dazed, however, informed the referee of being uncomfortable with his head gear.

Ramos, Tesado, and Rosario each received trophies for their victories, while Keith Corpuz was awarded a shiny hardware for engaging in a last-minute exhibition match against Dalisay, whose opponent Surasak Makordae of Thailand failed to suit up due to travel problems.

Battle of Champions was organized and promoted by Leo-An International Entertainment. Sponsors for the event include Marianas Visitors Authority, Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino, Aqua Resort Club, D’Best Choice Restaurant, Saipan Koreana Hotel, Asian Airlines, Alamo Rent-A-Car, Northwest Airlines, RJL Logistics, Verizon, Thai Restaurant, Church’s Chicken, Saipan Ice and Water, and UMAC.