Banal denied US visa

Rising superflyweight boxing star A. J. (Bazooka) Banal’s application for a B1-B2 visa was denied by the US Embassy and that’s why he was unable to accompany ALA stablemate Rey (Boom Boom) Bautista and trainer Edito Villamor in their trip to Los Angeles last month.

Bautista left to fight in the undercard of Marco Antonio Barrera’s recent World Boxing Council superfeatherweight title defense against Rocky Juarez in Las Vegas but never got to see action after suffering a fracture of the right clavicle during a workout at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.

He returned home with Villamor last Aug. 28.

It was ALA stable owner Tony Aldeguer’s idea for Banal to visit the US so as to be exposed to foreign conditions.

Sooner or later, Banal will be fighting overseas and Aldeguer’s plan was to familiarize the 17-year-old wunderkind from Corella, Bohol, with the Las Vegas glitz before making his debut on US soil. It would’ve been Banal’s first trip abroad.

Aldeguer said he could understand why the application was denied.

"First, Banal was a first-time traveler and had no markings on his passport," said Aldeguer. "Second, the Sept. 11 anniversary was coming up and I knew the US Embassy would be stricter in reviewing visa applications. Third, Banal was applying for a B1-B2 visa for tourists and businessmen. But that’s okay. Anyway, he wouldn’t have been able to watch Boom Boom fight because it was cancelled. Next time, Banal will apply for a P-1 visa as a professional fighter."

Banal, a southpaw who packs power in both hands, is destined for big things. More than his power, what makes Banal a hot prospect is his incredible maturity for his age. He moves around the ring with cat-like grace, circling away from harm’s way and uses footwork as a defensive tool. He throws combinations with blinding speed and fights like a dervish, never easing the pressure, hardly tiring out in the process. He is methodical and patient in breaking down an opponent’s defense. And he has the killer’s instinct of a Manny Pacquiao.

In Tagbilaran a week ago, Banal floored previously unbeaten Sing CarryBoy with a sweeping right cross to the jaw in the second round and blasted the Thai flyweight champion into submission at the end of six.

CarryBoy was on the verge of collapse as Banal battered his body with vicious hooks when the bell ending the sixth came to his rescue. The Thai surrendered on his stool, refusing to come out for the seventh round.

CarryBoy had a five-inch reach advantage but couldn’t stave off Banal who found the angles to attack the Thai with deadly accuracy. The win raised Banal’s record to 9-0-1, with seven KOs.

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In the main event, Czar Amonsot was knocked out in 47 seconds by Indonesian Simson Butar-Butar for the World Boxing Organization Asia-Pacific superfeatherweight crown.

The day before, Amonsot was stripped of the title for weighing in five pounds over the 130-pound limit.  Butar-Butar tipped the scales at 128.

At the weigh-in, WBO vice president Leon Panoncillo ruled that if Amonsot wins, the throne would continue to be vacant but if Butar-Butar wins, he would be the new champion.

Three weeks earlier, Amonsot was kicked out of the ALA stable for disciplinary reasons. He was found drinking rum and smoking in the dressing room with fighter Rollen del Castillo and another friend.

No wonder when Amonsot entered the ring to face Butar-Butar, he no longer wore the familiar ALA colors of black and red.

Although he was dropped from the ALA rolls, Amonsot was still allowed to train at the Aldeguer gym in Cebu. He reportedly told his trainer he didn’t realize drinking rum would increase his weight.

Amonsot, with his closely-cropped hair dyed blond, looked cocky when he climbed into the ring to battle Butar-Butar, the only fighter who had beaten him previously. It was supposed to be Amonsot’s night for revenge. He outweighed the Indonesian by seven pounds so that was a distinct advantage.

When the bell rang to start the first round, Amonsot rushed out of his corner with both fists flailing. He probably figured he would try to end the fight early because in his condition, he wouldn’t survive a war of attrition. Butar-Butar wasn’t fazed by Amonsot’s assault and waited for an opening to uncork his lethal right. Sure enough, the opening came and Butar-Butar landed a right smack on the jaw.

Amonsot, 21, went down with a thud. He tried to beat referee Bruce McTavish’s count but couldn’t. Twice, Amonsot struggled to get on his feet and twice, he stumbled on rubbery legs like a drunk with his head spinning around. After stopping the fight, McTavish tried to keep Amonsot on the ground, holding him down, and quickly called for the ringside physician. McTavish’s gesture was another proof of why he’s touted to be one of the world’s outstanding referees today.

Amonsot’s mother was hysterical at ringside. She had never seen her son in such a state of discombobulation. Aldeguer rushed to her side to calm her down.

Later, Amonsot apologized to Aldeguer for his behavior and said he would take a long rest from boxing before making a comeback. He learned a bitter lesson that night. He lost his pride before his once adoring hometown fans and it will take a lot of doing to regain his stature.

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Welterweight and two-time Southeast Asian Games silver medalist Mark Jason Melliguen, 20, was another Aldeguer prospect who impressed in Tagbilaran. He improved his record to 4-0, with four KOs, by halting Indonesian Michael Tarsius at 1:43 of the third.

The only Filipino to reign as world welterweight champion was William Magahin who took the World Boxing Federation (WBF) title with a 12-round decision over Jeff Malcolm in 1995. He turned back Erwin Villaver in his only successful defense before yielding the throne to Suwito Logola in Medan. Magahin attempted to regain the crown but was stopped by Jaime Lerma in 1996.

Ceferino Garcia tried to win the world welterweight title twice but lost on points to Barney Ross in 1937 and to Henry Armstrong in 1938. Garcia would later reign as world middleweight champion. Another Filipino, lanky Tata Regatuna, attempted to capture the WBF welterweight diadem but was knocked out by Malcolm in 1994.