Philippines, 08 May 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


BANAL, PUNGLUANG BOTH GOING FOR A KNOCKOUT


PhilBoxing.com




With the two top contenders for the vacant WBO bantamweight title promising to go for a knockout, the blockbuster ?Pinoy Pride XVII? fight card with two other regional titles at stake promises to give fight fans a night of terrific action at the Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday evening.

Both No.1 ranked AJ ?Bazooka? Banal and No. 2 rated Pungluang Sor Singyu of Thailand predicted a victory by knockout.

In a well-attended press conference at the Midas Hotel on Roxas Boulevard, Banal said ?Magandang laban ito. Bakbakan talaga.?

A more mature and confident Banal said he ?came prepared to fight in every round. If I can knock him out in the first round, the second round then good. If not I will knock him out in the twelfth round. I am prepared to go even fifteen rounds? highlighting his fine condition.

For his part Pungluang said it won?t be a difficult fight for him saying ?I have seen Banal?s fights and I?m not worried. I will knock him out in the sixth round.?

The Thai contender?s statement drew an immediate retort from Banal who said, ?It's good he predicted the sixth round, then I?ll knock him out in the fifth. If he says the fourth, I?ll knock him out in the third.?

The charming promoter of Pungluang, Pariyakorn Ratanasuban, president of the big One Songchai Promotions of Thailand told the Manila Standard that Pungluang ?has been training so hard and for me as a promoter I expect to take the world title back to Thailand.?

She said Pungluang had trained in a Navy camp in Thailand and they found ?a good trainer with more experience and I put him in the camp so he could have more strength, more endurance and he had good sparring partners from the national team.?

WBO president Francisco ?Paco? Valcarcel himself predicted ?this fight will be huge? and called on Filipinos to support the fight card, a costly venture by ALA Promotions headed by its president Michael Aldeguer in cooperation with the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN.

Vice president for Sports Peter Musngi said the fights will be telecast on Sunday at 10:15 a.m. on Channel 2 while being carried ?live? on The Filipino Channel all over the world.

Internationally respected referee Tony Weeks told us his basic philosophy as a referee ?is to allow the fighters to fight themselves and to maintain control of the fight of course and nothing goes above safety. As long as everything is going okay, the fighters are fighting and everything is clean, I?ll just allow the fight to unfold.?

In a fight that may well steal the thunder from the main event, popular IBF International featherweight champion Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista (33-2, 25 KO's) faces a career-defining challenge from Mexico's WBC Latino super featherweight champion Daniel Ruiz (27-5-2 with 19 knockouts while in another bout that's bound to bring the fans to their feet, WBO International light welterweight champion Jason Pagara (29-2, 18 KO's) battles Miguel "Hands of Stone" Antoine from Barbados (17-0-1, 9 KO's) . the current WBC Caribbean Boxing Federation lightweight champion who claims he is even better than Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Photo (L-R): WBO Vice-President Leon Panoncillo, ALA President Michael Aldeguer, AJ Banal, Pungluang Sor Singyu, OneSongchai President Pariyakorn Ratanasuban and ABS-CBN Vice-President for Sports Peter Musngi during Thursday's presscon at the Midas Hotel along Roxas Blvd in Manila. Photo by Dong Secuya.



Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaiman: Cinco De Mayo, A Historic Celebration Of Boxing
    By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Fri, 08 May 2026
  • Abne, Zhu Make Weight for IBF Eliminator in Cebu; Winner Fights Taduran
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 08 May 2026
  • IBA presents stacked fight card for May 21 event in Mexico City
    , Fri, 08 May 2026
  • Laurente to promote amateur boxing
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 08 May 2026
  • Heavyweight Gustavo Trujillo Has a New Date Returns May 30 at War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale
    , Fri, 08 May 2026
  • Toro Promotions & Whitfield Haydon Officially Announce ‘Sizzling Summer Boxing Series’
    , Fri, 08 May 2026
  • Jean Henri Lhuillier Drives ASAPHIL’s Winning System Through Long-Term Vision and Coaching Continuity
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 08 May 2026
  • Dy ready to face Malignaggi in BKB on May 16
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 07 May 2026
  • ‘A younger lion always comes for that old lions spot. Your time is up, GET OUT OF MY WAY! – Manny Ritti challenges former ONE FC World Champion Nobutsu Suzuki May 29 in Perth – Thunderdome 54
    , Thu, 07 May 2026
  • Kenia Enriquez Signs Multi-Year Contract with Latin KO Promotions
    , Thu, 07 May 2026
  • FM Habla, Madriaga win Armageddon for IIEE-PSME Quezon City in PCAP
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 07 May 2026
  • Undefeated heavyweight prospect Pryce Taylor Graduates to 10-rounder this Saturday in Atlanta
    , Thu, 07 May 2026
  • Jonas Magpantay bags P300,000 with Congressman Jeffrey Ferrer 10-Ball title win
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 06 May 2026
  • Abdullah Mason Returns Home for Lightweight World Title Defense against Joe Cordina July 4 at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center
    , Wed, 06 May 2026
  • Christopher Guerrero to face Delante Johnson on July 4 at the CSU Wolstein Center in Cleveland!
    , Wed, 06 May 2026
  • Yanong and Horiike make weight in Japan for OPBF 140 lb. title
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 05 May 2026
  • Kulog at Kidlat: Boxing, Art, Thunder and Lightning at the 3rd Pacquiao–Elorde Awards
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Tue, 05 May 2026
  • Camique forced to fight after food poisoning; hospitalized after losing by UD
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 05 May 2026
  • Tony Tolj Previews Thunderdome 54
    , Tue, 05 May 2026
  • Mexican boxing historian Eduardo Lamazón passes away at 70
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 05 May 2026
  • NM Rolly Parondo rules Thailand FIDE Rated Rapid Chess Tournament
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 05 May 2026
  • Wardley vs Dubois: 95% KO Power Collides in Manchester — Winner Gets Usyk Next
    By Carlos Costa, , Tue, 05 May 2026
  • Former Cuban champions Gamboa and Rigondeaux returns on May 30 in Fort Lauderdale
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 05 May 2026
  • Pido to defend crown in SIGLO 100km Ultramarathon
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 05 May 2026
  • Yanong arrives in Japan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 04 May 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.