Banal headlines 'Sandugo' boxing

CEBU, Philippines - Bigtime boxing returns to the historic province of Bohol, with ALA Stable star and hometown idol AJ “Bazooka” Banal topbilling the keenly-awaited “Sandugo:Labanan ng mga Kampeon” fight card on July 17 at the Carlos P. Garcia Sports Complex in Tagbilaran City.

The 21-year-old Banal is set to trade bombs with former WBO super flyweight champion Big Yoo of South Korea in a 12-round rumble for the WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight championship.

Banal is on a four-fight winning roll since absorbing his first and only defeat, so far, by 10th round knockout to Panamian Rafael “El Torito” Concepcion in their WBA super flyweight title bout on July 26, 2008 at the Cebu Coliseum.

Though heavily favored, Banal must not, in any way, take his Korean opponent lightly as Yoo has never been knocked out in his five-year pro career.

If there’s something new that Banal could present to his ‘paisanos’, it would be no other than his maturity gleaned on the lessons he learned from his past defeat.

“He has learned to calculate his opponents. We hope to see the new AJ Banal this July 17,” said ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer in a press conference yesterday at The Nook of City Sports Club-Cebu.

Heading into the battlefield, Banal sports a 21-1-1 record spiked with 17KOs, while Yoo parades 16-2 slate dotted with 11KOs.

In the equally-explosive supporting main event, the fast-rising ALA stalwart Jason Pagara (18-1, 10KOs) will slug it out with another Korean fighter Kim Young Bin (10-1, 7KOs) in a non-title bout scheduled for 10 rounds. Pagara is the reigning WNO Youth lightweight titlist.

James Bacon completes the cast of ALA warriors who are set to show his punching wares in the slambang event presented by ALA Promotions in partnership of Sandugo Foundation and the city government of Talisay under the leadership of Mayor Dan Neri Lim.

Bacon will take on Jovie Merca of the Butuan City-based DDP Stable.

In the preliminary bouts, four of Tagbilaran’s homegrown talents - Ricky Sismundo, Jefferson Reodeque, Jomar Cordinillo and Wilbeth Loberanis - will show off their fistic skills.

Reodeque will tackle Rocky Bacor of Butuan, Cordinillo will mix it up with Sarry Canonigo of Talisay City’s Sta. Cruz, Stable, while Lobernis will lock up horns with Jolito Catubay of Cebu City. Sismundo’s opponents will be announced at the soonest possible time. (FREEMAN NEWS)