Philippines, 10 Oct 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW WITH AJ BANAL


PhilBoxing.com




Banal training in Puerto Rico.

Emerging Filipino ring sensation AJ "Bazooka" Banal took time out to speak with PhilBoxing.com's Dong Secuya from the De La Hoya training camp in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico where he is currently training with fellow Filipino Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista under the invitation of Golden Boy Oscar de la Hoya. Banal and Bautista will fight in the undercard of the historic De la Hoya vs Mayweather card "The World Awaits" on May 5 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV.

DS: How are you?

AJ: Fine, we've just finished our morning jog.

DS: What time do you jog? What route do you take?

AJ: We leave at 6 a.m. from our condo and go to the direction of Oscar's [de la Hoya] apartment and sometimes we go somewhere else.

DS: How many kilometers do you jog everyday?

AJ: We run for 45 minutes if there is no scheduled sparring and 30 minutes if we have to spar.

DS: How often do you spar?

AJ: Last week we sparred at T-T-S but this week it's M-W-F.

DS: I've heard that you sparred with Ivan Calderon? What was the result?

AJ: Yes. He is very stylish. But he did not mix it up with me because he could not hurt me.

DS: He's probably too small for you. Who else did you spar?

AJ: I sparred with big men. I don't know their names but they said they were undefeated.

DS: What are their weights?

AJ: 122, 126 Sir. I also sparred with Billy Dib.

DS: What were the results of your sparrings? I heard that you busted the nose of one of your sparmates?

AJ: Yes, one got his nose busted and blood came out. The guy won't spar with me anymore according to Coach [Edito Villamor].

DS: Until when are you going to spar and how many rounds of sparring have you logged?

AJ: Our last sparring will be on Friday [Apr 29]. After my fight in Cebu, maybe I've already sparred more than a hundred rounds including the ones in LA.

DS: How is your training with Freddie [Roach]? And what instructions did he give you?

AJ: Good. He made corrections on how to deliver my punches properly to hit the opponent.

DS: Have you learned anything from Freddie?

AJ: Yes, Freddie is like Sir ALA [Tony Aldeguer].

DS: Do you watch Oscar train and spar?

AJ: Yes, all the time because after he train we go home together.

DS: What do you think of his game?

AJ: He moves beautifully. It is the consensus of the boxers here that Oscar is going to knock Mayweather out if Mayweather will mix it up with him.

DS: Is Shane Mosley still sparring with Oscar?

AJ: Up until last week. Mosley and company had already left.

DS: What is your weight right now?

AJ: 119 after we jogged this morning.

DS: Do you have video tapes of the fights of Rosas?

AJ: No sir. Do you have one?

DS: We couldn't find one either.

AJ: Ah OK.

DS: Are you not afraid that your opponent [Rosas] has a record of 25 wins with 22 knockouts and the fact that you have not seen how he fight?

AJ: No Sir. Even if I haven't seen him fight.

DS: In your last fights against the Thais and Indonesians, have you seen their fights before you fought them?

AJ: No Sir.

DS: I see. So you have to find it out inside the ring.

AJ: That's correct Sir.

DS: Last question: knowing that your opponent will also throw punches, had it not occured to you that you could be hit and will lose the fight?

AJ: I am not thinking about that. Maybe my opponent is. As far as I'm concerned I will try to extract victory from this fight no matter what it takes.

DS: That's my boy! So what's your secret to victory?

AJ: I don't understand. I have no secret. When I hit my opponent. That's it!

DS: OK. Do you have something to say especially to your fans in Pacland?

AJ: Yes, I hope they will include me in their prayers when they go to church and many thanks for the everyday story at PhilBoxing which we always read together with my coach.

DS: Thank you AJ.

AJ: Thank you Sir.



Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • JARON ‘BOOTS’ ENNIS AND UISMA LIMA PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • RED OWL BOXING: BOXFEST XVI – OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN RESULTS
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • Irish amateur star Jim Donovan Right back in ring after pro debut
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • Robert Racasa Named as the Sole Philippine Representative to the 2025 World Memory Championships in Mumbai
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • “Pitbull” Cruz Battles Skilled Lamont Roach Next!
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • Eddie Hearn Warns: Dana White's Push to Amend Ali Act Could Hide Fighter Revenues and Undermine Boxer Protections
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • SEBASTIAN "EL TRUENO" JUAREZ TRAINING CAMP NOTES
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • WBC No. 2 Cruiserweight Ryan Rozicki reinjured
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • DAVE ALLEN VS ARSLANBEK MAKHMUDOV SHEFFIELD PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • HANOI OPEN DAY TWO: CHUA, GORST, BIADO, SHAW AND DUONG CRUISE INTO LAST 64 IN HANOI
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • BOSTAN AND FAWAZ TRADE VERBAL BLOWS IN SHEFFIELD CITY CENTRE FACE-OFF AHEAD OF TITLE REMATCH – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • Yoelvis Gomez Set to Face Unbeaten Antraveous Ingram in Title Clash on DAZN
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • Dante Kirkman Set to Make Southern California Debut Against Power Puncher Wesley Vanderlinden on October 23 at Fight Club OC
    , Fri, 10 Oct 2025
  • 8th AQ Prime FIDE Standard Open chessfest slated
    By Dong Secuya, , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • A Filipino and an American Homecoming
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • Tragedy Strikes Again: Arturo Gatti Jr., Son of Boxing Legend, Found Dead at 17 in Mexico
    By Dong Secuya, , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • Golden State Making a Bid for NBA Title
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • JOHANN CHUA LAUNCHES TITLE DEFENCE WITH DOMINANT START IN HANOI | 2025 HANOI OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP
    , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • RED-HOT CUBAN MIDDLEWEIGHT YOENLI HERNANDEZ: “I’M READY WILLING AND ABSOLUTELY ABLE TO FACE THE BIG NAMES IN MY DIVISION.”
    , Thu, 09 Oct 2025
  • BOOTS ENNIS GOES HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH LIMA AHEAD OF 154LB DEBUT – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • ALLEN AND MAKHMUDOV MEET FOR FIRST FACE-OFF IN SHEFFIELD AHEAD OF HUGE HEAVYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • Amateur Boxer Tyrone Welch Dies After Match in Saginaw
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • AJ Lim Captures Fourth PCA Men’s Singles Title, Extends Dominance in Philippine Tennis
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 18: JOE FRAZIER VS. GEORGE FOREMAN FIRST ENCOUNTER - THE SUNSHINE SHOWDOWN
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025
  • 5th Zhengxing Cup Philippine Xiangqi Rapid Open tournament on October 12
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 08 Oct 2025




  •  



     
    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
    © 2025 philboxing.com.