AFTER getting avoided by the reigning champions in the bantamweight division, Michael Domingo now has a real chance for a title shot.
That is, if he wins his next bout and ALA promotions succeeds in making it an eliminator bout for the No. 1 spot in the IBF bantamweight division.
ALA Promotions is planning to pit Domingo against Vusi Malinga in South Africa for the No.1.
?Sampson (Lewkowicz) gave us a date but until we get the contract, I can?t say if it?s final. But we already had a verbal agreement for Oct. 30,? ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer told Sun.Star Cebu.
Domingo (40-14-2 with 18 KOs) is sixth in the IBF, while Malinga, who is 19-3-1 with 12 knockouts, is ranked ninth in the IBF.
?If he (Domingo) wins, he will have to fight the champion within 120 days,? Aldeguer said on the prospect of Domingo fighting for the IBF crown.
Yonnhy Perez, 31, holds the IBF bantamweight belt. He is scheduled to face titleholder Joseph Agbeko in December in his next defense.
Although nothing is final yet, Domingo is working his heart out here Cebu, at the famed ALA Gym.
?He is doing very well. He has been sparring with AJ (Banal) and ?Bon Jovi? (Larry Canillas). He is very excited and he is in great shape,? said Aldeguer.
If everything goes according to plan, the world title shot that Domingo has been dreaming of for so long is bound to happen, whether or not the current titleholder likes it.
Domingo had a chance for a title shot but was turned down.
WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel refused to face the Filipino veteran and opted to face the inexperienced Ciso Morales, who he manhandled earlier this year.
Perez also passed on Domingo and instead picked fellow undefeated Abner Mares, whom he figured with to a draw.
Despite scoring an impressive second-round stoppage over hard-hitting Luis Melendez, it still wasn?t enough as the 31-year-old Sultan Kudarat native was still deprived of a world title shot even for the interim WBO bantamweight title held by Eric Morel.
