CEBU CITY, Philippines – Angel Joshua Paña of Eastern Visayas earned the crowd’s cheers – and the gold medal – after overpowering Soccsksargen’s Jarrell Mark Ancajas via unanimous decision in the pinweight division of school boys boxing in the Palarong Pambansa 2024 in Cebu City.

Playing in just his second Palaro, the 14-year-old pride of Ormoc City bagged his first medal at the expense of an opponent with an illustrious boxing pedigree.

Ancajas is the younger brother of Filipino boxing star and former IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas.

“Passion ko po talaga ang boxing mula pagkabata (Boxing has really been my passion since I was a child),” said Paña, who learned to play boxing at 10 years old with the help of his father, and then started to enter the ring at 11.

Paña’s coach Elgy Costelo felt immense pressure upon learning beforehand that his ward would be competing with Ancajas, whose strength and competence they’ve seen in previous bouts. But he proceeded to work with the teen boxer on strategies to beat his worthy opponent.

Paña – who shared that one of his idols is boxing legend Manny Pacquiao – also took it as a challenge, Costelo added.  

“Ang game plan talaga namin is pasukin nang pasukin si Ancajas kasi technical boxer si Ancajas (Ancajas’ playing style is technical, so our game plan was just to keep on going in),” Costelo shared.

Paña is set to return to the boxing ring during the Batang Pinoy tournament in December, the coach said. 

Here is the full list of boxing gold medalists awarded at the Cebu Coliseum on Monday, July 15:

School boys (elementary)

• Angel Joshua Paña (Eastern Visayas) – pinweight (44-46 kg) via unanimous decision
• Cris Ivhan Espina (Central Visayas) – light flyweight (46-48 kg) via split decision

Junior boys (junior high school)

• Mark Joseph Manquisquis (Northern Mindanao) – pinweight (44-46 kg) via unanimous decision
• Jefferson Amaya (Davao Region) – light flyweight (46-48 kg) via split decision
• Mark Daryll Dabuda (Davao Region) – flyweight (48-50 kg) via unanimous decision
• AJ Basalo (Central Visayas) – light bantamweight (50-52 kg) via split decision
• Tyron Jay Quillosa (Zamboanga Peninsula) – bantamweight (52-54 kg) via unanimous decision

Youth boys (senior high school)

• Jhon Lowie Lastimosa (National Capital Region) – minimumweight (46-48 kg) via unanimous decision
• Mark David Son Veloso (National Capital Region) – flyweight (48-51 kg) via knockout at round 1
• Edcel Dayrit (Western Visayas) – bantamweight (51-54 kg) via split decision

– Rappler.com