Alor Setar: They came and they conquered. Nobody expected them to beat the odds but Penampang shocked everyone when they emerged the surprise overall champions in the 60th Sabah Boxing Championship City Mayor's Cup on Monday.The "Heartland of the Kadazans" team won two gold medals in the 69kg and 75kg categories to ensure they bagged the title.
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In the 69kg finals, Mohd Noorhisham of Penampang gave no room to Faez Akmal Jeffrey of Tuaran to unleash his flash-speed left jab.He landed some punches, albeit of strength, but it earned him the points to be declared the winner.
His colleague, Marcel Aegidus, was slow to warm up to the bout but as soon as he got his rhythm, opponent Harold Jormeo Untal of Tuaran found he is too tough a nut to crack.In the 81kg category, Willy Sanggom of Penampang was no match for the light-footed Sachdev Singh of Ranau, the son of former State boxer Dara Singh.
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Just before the final bell in the third round, Sanggom gave all he could but Sachdev already got most of the points.In the 49kg category, Mohd Arfandi Zakaria gave defending champions Sandakan something to cheer after defeating Freddy Yusuf of Keningau.
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Erick Apar of Sabah boxing powerhouse district of Tuaran, on the other hand, won the 52kg event against Hamdig Emping of Keningau.Carlyn Cheah Sik Long gave Kota Kinabalu the sole gold medal after teaching Cherlazi Herja Asli of Tambunan a lesson in boxing in the 56kg event.However, Randall Kandayun of Tambunan, showed he is not to be messed with after landing a TKO (technical knockout) blow to Jali Bahau of Kota Belud in the 60kg category.Keningau boxer Aminudin Jastinus proved that boxers from the interior are just as good after winning his category in 64kg by defeating Jonathan Gantud of Tuaran.Former women Sukma boxer, Jacika Pandarah of Kota Belud, simply outclassed Heidiel Nathalie of Penampang in the women 56kg event.Mayor Datuk Abidin Madingkir, who presented the main trophy, said such championship is important for the Sabah Amateur Boxing Association (Saba) to unearth potential boxing talent to represent Sabah in the next Malaysian Games (Sukma) in Kuching Sarawak.The championship drew 80 fighters from nine districts namely Sandakan, Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Tambunan, Nabawan, Keningau, Tuaran, Ranau and Penampang.
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In the days when Sabah was a powerhouse in boxing, Sabahan boxers were feared in the national level.Also present were Director of Sabah Sports Council, Terrance Edward Pudin and Saba President, Datuk Orlando Harumal.
