THIS year will be a defining one for promising ALA fighter AJ ?Bazooka? Banal as it will determine if he is prepared for another world title shot.
Banal, who has had ups and downs in his young boxing career, will be sent to the US to hone his talent at the Wild Card Gym under renowned boxing trainer Freddie Roach.
Also set to leave for the US are ALA fighters Mark Jason Melligen, who will be fighting on May 1 in Las Vegas against Ramon Montano, and Z Gorres.
Gorres will be sent to the US in June.
?This will be a deciding year for AJ because it will set the direction where he will be in the years to come. Fighting for a world championship will depend on his performance this year,? Aldeguer told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday.
ALA Promotions is planning to send the 20-year-old Cebuano to the US in May, after the Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton fight.
Aldeguer has high hopes that Banal will become a better fighter under Roach.
?Freddie can help enhance Banal?s skills and can develop him into the fighter that we hope he becomes,? he said.
The Cebuano promoter said their main purpose of sending Banal to the US is to improve the mental aspect of his game.
?He needs to develop mentally and training there will help him a lot. He can spar with a variety of partners from different weight classes and nationalities,? said Aldeguer.
Aldeguer said Banal has grown a lot and has gotten over his first professional loss to Rafael Concepcion.
?He has matured a lot. He understands the whole picture and has gotten over with what happened to him,? Aldeguer said. Banal lost to Concepcion last July 26 by knockout in front of his own crowd at the Cebu Coliseum.
ALA Promotions is planning to give Banal one more fight in the Philippines before he gets to fight abroad.
?We will have him fight former world champions or world title contenders,? said Aldeguer.
ALA Promotions has targeted former world champions Chatchai Sasakul (65-4, 40 KOs) and Kermin Guardia (37-9, 21 KOs) for their ward.
