Philippines, 31 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:

  • Lieutenant Delfin Boholst: Soldier, Boxing Coach, Mentor
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Sat, 30 May 2026
  • O’Shaquie Foster vs Raymond Ford: Bad Blood Equals Good Fight
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 30 May 2026
  • WBC Issues Rules Clarification for Designating David Benavidez Mandatory Challenger to Noel Mikaelian External Inbox Andre Courtemanche -- Big Media Buzz
    , Sat, 30 May 2026
  • FOSTER VS. FORD – WEIGHTS AND THE FINAL WORD AHEAD OF TOMORROW NIGHT’S ACTION
    , Sat, 30 May 2026
  • AWE to Air Live the WBC World Title Rematch of Kevin Lerena v. Ryad Merhy this Saturday
    , Sat, 30 May 2026
  • Juego Todo exists in two powerful dimensions
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 30 May 2026
  • ‘The Homecoming’ Postponed in Vancouver
    , Sat, 30 May 2026
  • Pound-for-Pound Puerto Rican Champion Oscar “El Pupilo” Collazo to Defend Unified WBA, WBO and Ring Magazine Minimumweight World Titles Against the Philippines’ Joey Canoy
    , Sat, 30 May 2026
  • Canoy now trains at MP Davao for Collazo's fight
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 30 May 2026
  • Johann Chua claims Duya Airplay Sport 5800 Charity Cup Crown, pockets US$50,000 tops prize
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 30 May 2026
  • “While others debate governance, the IBA continues to deliver.” IBA CEO & Secretary General Chris Roberts OBE on the organisation’s resilience and global ambition
    , Sat, 30 May 2026
  • MP Pro Announces Signed Undefeated Prospects J'Hon Ingram, Amir Anderson, David Lopez, and Kayla Gomez to Compete on "Pugilist Revolution" June 19 in Long Beach, California
    , Sat, 30 May 2026
  • Canoy to challenge Collazo on June 20
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 29 May 2026
  • UNDEFEATED SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT RONNIE ALVAREZ RETURNS TO THE RING ON JUNE 13 IN GLENDALE, ARIZONA
    , Fri, 29 May 2026
  • 20 Matchups Set for 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, To Determine 2026 USA Wrestling World Championship Teams
    , Fri, 29 May 2026
  • RJJ Boxing & “RJJ Saving the Kids” Presents World Boxing Association International Middleweight Championship! Natasha “The Nightmare” Spence and Maricela “La Diva” Cornejo
    , Fri, 29 May 2026
  • Taguig boxing clinic starts
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 29 May 2026
  • Brico Santig Wins IBF “Most Active Promoter” Award
    , Thu, 28 May 2026
  • FOSTER AND FORD IN FIERY FACE-OFF IN HOUSTON
    , Thu, 28 May 2026
  • Tank Davis could return later this year
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 28 May 2026
  • GM Joey Antonio to compete in Asean Sr chessfest in Singapore
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 28 May 2026
  • Murat Gassiev to defend his WBA Heavyweight crown against Yoka at IBA PRO 19
    , Thu, 28 May 2026
  • ‘Not a Kid Anymore.’ Edward Vazquez Talks About How He’s Matured While Training to Face Daniel Lugo on ProBoxTV in Friday, June 5, Main Event
    , Thu, 28 May 2026
  • Remulla, Ferrer, Matro to grace Cavite Inter-Town Chess Tournament this weekend
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 28 May 2026
  • McHugh next for Dy
    By Joaquin Henson, , Wed, 27 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.