Cebuano Tarona upstages taller foe for boxing gold

DAPITAN City — Young boxer Rehezon Tarona displayed tough mettle inside the ring by trouncing a taller opponent for a gold finish in secondary boxing of the 2011 Palarong Pambansa here.

But out of the ropes, this fighter from barangay Looc, Mandaue City fought back tears and in a voice cracking with emotion, explained to Cebu Daily News why he badly needed the win.

“Ganahan ko makadaog para maluwas nako sa ka-pobre sa akong pamilya,” said Tarona.

Tarona, a member of the Phil-Aust Boxing Stable owned by Edmund Tuñacao, showed tremendous fighting spirit, conquering Luiz Evader Borje of National Capital Region (NCR) to dominate the 36-kg division.

Tarona, 13, said his mother, a barangay worker, and his father, a tricycle driver, need to work extra hard to make ends meet and give him and his eight siblings a better life.

“Maningkamot jud ko sa boxing kay basin dinhi ko makatabang sa pamilya,” said Tarona, whose gold medal earned him P5,000.

The Department of Education in Central Visayas (DepEd-7) has promised to give P5,000 incentive for every gold medal won.

After Tarona’s impressive win, Junrel Jimenez followed suit, snatching gold in the 42-kg. division by beating Region 10’s Dhannel Maamo also in a three-round bout.

The 15-year-old Jimenez said being a boxer has done great things for him, getting a scholarship at the Abellana National High School (ANS) that helped his parents ease the burden of raising him and his seven siblings.

Aside from the two golds, the secondary boxing team, composed of five boxers coached by Amad Ademar and Samuel Barticea, also won bronze in the 39-kg. courtesy of Francisco Arcidente.

The elementary team had two bets but Junric Inso was disqualified in his second fight after failing to make the weight. The other boxer, Kit Garces, failed to compete due to some difficulties. /EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CALVIN CORDOVA