Big card ushers in 2010

MANILA, Philippines - A major international boxing card will start the new year with a bang at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu City on Jan. 14 as ALA Gym warriors A. J. Banal and Milan Melindo face separate opponents to launch PLDT chairman Manny V. Pangilinan’s bid for big-time sports action on his newly-acquired TV-5 network.

ALA Gym owner Tony Aldeguer told The Star yesterday it was Pangilinan who personally instructed Smart sports marketing and special projects director Patrick Gregorio to headline the card with a championship bout featuring a Filipino challenger.

“Challenging a champion is always a big test and guarantees the fans an exciting contest,” said Aldeguer. “Mr. Pangilinan didn’t want a hand-picked fighter for a Filipino. He wasn’t in favor of a bout for a vacant title where the opponent could be chosen to suit the convenience of the Filipino fighter. Mr. Pangilinan made sure the Filipino’s opponent isn’t a patsy.”

Aldeguer said it wasn’t easy finding a champion willing to stake his crown against a Filipino in the Philippines but luckily, WBC Youth Intercontinental flyweight titleholder Anthony Villarreal of California was available.

Villarreal, 22, will make the first defense of his WBC crown against the unbeaten Melindo of Cagayan de Oro.

“When we were about to give up, a courageous newly-crowned WBC Youth Intercontinental champion readily accepted the challenge but the problem was he is the flyweight champion and Milan fights either as a minimumweight or lightflyweight,” said Aldeguer. “In spite of the weight difference, Milan accepted the fight without any hesitation.”

Melindo, 21, has a 19-0 record, with five KOs, while Villarreal’s mark is 9-2, with four KOs . While Villarreal’s title will be on the line, Melindo stands to lose a lot more if the American of Mexican descent wins. As a 105-pounder, Melindo is ranked No. 1 by the WBO, No. 3 by the IBF and WBA and No. 5 by the WBC. Villarreal is not rated.

Villarreal has won his last five outings and outpointed previously unbeaten Manuel Roman of Mexico for the vacant WBC Youth Intercontinental diadem last April.

In the other main event, Banal takes on dangerous Mexican veteran Cecilio Santos who has fought world champions Anselmo Moreno, Dmitry Kirilov, Fernando Montiel and Veeraphol Sahaprom in a long career that started in 1997. Santos , 31, has experience on his side and is coming off a first round demolition of Cesar Martinez a few weeks ago. His record is 24-11-3, with 14 KOs .

Banal, 21, has won his last three fights over Mexico ‘s Jose Angel Beranza, Tanzania ‘s Mbwana Mutumla and Indonesia’s Nouldy Monikane to raise his record to 20-1-1, with 16 KOs . His only loss was a 10th round knockout to Panama ‘s Rafael Concepcion two years ago.

Aldeguer said among his ALA boys, Melindo is the hottest prospect for a world title.

“Of my present crop of fighters including A. J., Boom Boom Bautista, Michael Domingo, Jason Pagara and Mark Jason Meligen, I think Milan is my best bet for a world title,” said Aldeguer. “He has the mental toughness, the speed, the guts and soon, the power to bring him closer to fight for a world crown and I’m confident he will win it in his first attempt. We’re just waiting for the right opportunity to come. Milan is undefeated in 19 fights and I consider his wins over Mexico ‘s Jose Guadalupe Martinez, Indonesia’s Muhammad Rachman and Panama’s Carlos Melo as his toughest ever. Two or three more fights then Milan will be ready for a title shot.”

Aldeguer said Villarreal, known as the “Baby Assassin,” is no stranger to Filipino fighters because he trains at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles . ALA trainer Edito Villamor has seen Villarreal at the Hollywood sweat shop and is impressed with his toughness and aggressiveness.

Santos ‘ claim to fame was defeating Colombia’s Luis Melendez in 2007. Melendez was the fighter who dropped Z Gorres in their Las Vegas fight last November and sent him to the hospital for surgery to drain blood that pressured the outer layer of the brain. He also held former IBF superflyweight champion Dmitry Kirilov to a majority draw.

“Santos was the holder of five regional titles and has fought in four world title bouts,” said Aldeguer. “He also beat the powerful puncher Melendez who just ended Z Gorres’ boxing career. It will definitely be a tough fight for Banal and it’s something he needs to win if he hopes to move closer to a title shot.”

Aldeguer said the card will also feature two Thai invaders against Filipinos. Thittichon Singwancha meets fast-rising superfeatherweight James Bacon while Pet Twin Gym faces superbantamweight Larry (Bonjovi) Canillas. Both Bacon and Canillas are from Cebu.

Bacon has a record of 13-1, with eight KOs, while Thittichon’s record is 12-3, with two KOs . Canillas’ mark is 11-1, with 10 KOs and Twin Gym’s is 8-3-1, with six KOs.

Gregorio is closely monitoring the event with Aldeguer’s son Michael, the ALA Gym president, to ensure its success as there are plans to hold a bigger show in TV-5’s next boxing project.

“Nothing less than a three-nation international fight card will mark the first presentation of Smart Sports and TV-5 in cooperation with ALA Gym,” said Aldeguer. “Milan has already won the WBO Asia-Pacific minimumweight and WBA Intercontinental lightflyweight titles so it’s only logical that he should now aim for the flyweight crown. Finding a champion like Villarreal who’s not scared of flying over to defend his title against Milan was quite a story and it wouldn’t have happened if not for Mr. Pangilinan’s instructions to make a match with a Filipino challenger.”