ALA Golden Boys on a roll

Cebu-based businessman Antonio Lopez Aldeguer is convinced the next Manny Pacquiao will come from the ranks of his four fresh recruits who are called the ALA Golden Boys.

Aldeguer, a former La Salle Bacolod basketball player who owns a successful garments conglomerate, has been involved in boxing the last three decades. His ALA stable is highly-regarded in fight circles all over the world. None of his fighters is signed to a contract but if a boxer agrees to join his stable, he must abide by Aldeguer’s fair and firm rules.

Boxing has a special place in Aldeguer’s heart of gold. He’s known as Sir ALA, the knight in shining armor in a sport dominated by sleazy operators. All he demands from his fighters is discipline, dedication, hard work and total commitment. In return, Aldeguer provides for their education, shelter, living expenses and often, future employment after their retirement from the ring. He doesn’t share in their purses.

Through the years, Aldeguer has managed several fighters, including Gerry Peñalosa, Joma Gamboa, Andy Tabanas, Edito Villamor, Malcolm Tuñacao, Rodel Mayol and Jun Gorres. He has seen some of the country’s best fighters rise to their potential.

Today, Aldeguer says he hasn’t come across a more promising crop of fighters as the unbeaten ALA Golden Boys–minimumweight Rocky Fuentes, featherweight Caesar Amonsot, minimumweight Rollen del Castillo and superflyweight Rey Bautista.

"Not only are they talented but they possess the very same factors that made Manny Pacquiao what he is today in boxing–guts, power and mental and physical toughness," says Aldeguer.

"Although these four boys are very young, they possess a lot of ring maturity as exemplified by their performance. I guess it is partly because of their vast amateur experience. They are a new and exciting breed. I have never been as excited as I am now. You will be hearing a lot about these new kids on the block."

Last Saturday, the teenaged ALA Golden Boys took on separate opponents and won convincingly in a Mandaue City card.

Fuentes, 18, pitched a shutout and scored a lopsided unanimous 10-round decision over Allan Dugang. Amonsot, 18, stopped Danilo Logramonte at 2:22 of the first. Del Castillo, 16, halted Jerry Manganid at 1:28 of the second. Bautista, 17, decked Rommel Libradilla twice before referee Teddy Alivio stepped in at 1:10 of the second.

Fuentes raised his unblemished record to 6-0, with five stoppages. Two of his most impressive triumphs were a 39-second knockout over Dodong Salde and a fourth round disposal of John Eman Juarez who died of head injuries three days after the bout.

Amonsot, a senior student at Talamban National High School, is unbeaten in two starts. The eighth of nine children, he turned pro to help his family make both ends meet. His father died when he was only 12 and his mother is jobless. As a simonpure, the Tagbilaran, Bohol, southpaw collected gold medals at the National Youth Championships the last three years, scoring an uninterrupted string of knockouts along the way. He is remembered for his courageous effort in losing to veteran Roel Laguna on points at the National Seniors Open in Puerto Princesa last year.

Del Castillo is also undefeated in two fights so far. As an amateur, he notched four straight knockouts to win the National Youth Open title in Tagbilaran City last year. Del Castillo, whose idol is Marco Antonio Barrera, is a senior student at Cabancalan National High School.

Aldeguer describes del Castillo as "a very aggressive fighter, like (Edito) Villamor (because) when he sees blood, he will go for the kill."

Bautista’s record is 7-0, with five knockouts. Only Noel Acasio and journeyman Rodel (Kid) Orais survived the distance with the Bohol slugger. Orais was floored in the fourth round but got up to finish the fight on his feet, losing on scores of 96-93, 99-92, and 97-93.

There are several other fighters–including Dindo Castanares–in Aldeguer’s stable but the Fab Four are his picks to rock the boxing firmament. The Golden Boys train in Aldeguer’s P5 Million, 5,000-square meter sports complex in Nasipit, Talamban, behind the ALA Group’s head office building. The facilities in the complex include a 210-meter mini-oval track, two boxing rings, a full-sized basketball court, four speedballs, three punching balls, 12 heavy bags, assorted weights, dozens of gloves of all sizes, and an air-conditioned gym. In all, Aldeguer’s right-hand man Sammy Gello-ani estimates an investment of over P2 Million in equipment. There’s also a two-room dorm with 14 beds and comfortable living amenities. And Aldeguer has provided a study room, equipped with a computer, for his fighters.