For ALA boxing stable owner Tony Aldeguer, it won?t be enough for Rey (Boom Boom) Bautista and A. J. Banal to win for the sake of winning in the undercard of the Oscar de la Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jr. mainer at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas this Sunday morning (Manila time).
Aldeguer said his boys will show up with guns blazing and go for knockouts.
“This is a big opportunity for two Filipino fighters to show what they can do in the ring,” said Aldeguer in a long distance phone call from his Las Vegas home yesterday.
“I?m grateful to Oscar and Golden Boy Promotions for giving Filipinos a chance to fight in the biggest card in decades,” said Aldeguer. “Banal?s fight is scheduled just before Boom Boom?s and Boom Boom will be first in line in the pay-per-view program. We know fans want to be entertained, not bored. Our boys are trained to go for knockouts, win or lose. We want to please the crowd. We don?t win merely to win. We?re not about hype. We?re out to make an impact.”
Aldeguer said Bautista and Banal are ready to rumble after training 3 1/2 weeks with Freddie Roach in de la Hoya?s boot camp in Puerto Rico.
“They were isolated for close to a month,” added Aldeguer. “They lived in a condo and had little contact with people. All they did was train. Freddie picked them up in the morning to go to the gym and brought them back in the afternoon after Oscar?s workout. In the end, they ran out of sparring partners because they busted up everyone in the gym.”
Aldeguer said both fighters should make weight easily at the weigh-in on Friday. The other day, Bautista was only three over the 122-pound limit for his WBO superbantamweight 12-round title eliminator against Argentina?s Sergio Medina while Banal was also three over the 115-pound superflyweight limit for his 10-round bout against Mexico?s Juan Alberto Rosas.
Bautista, Banal and trainer Edito Villamor arrived in Las Vegas from Puerto Rico on an American Airlines flight last Sunday night. They were welcomed by Golden Boy staffers and an ABS-CBN crew then spent the night at Aldeguer?s home before checking in at the MGM Grand Hotel the next day.
“No more hard training for them,” said Aldeguer. “It?s just weight maintenance now. They still jog in the morning and go to the gym every afternoon to limber up and work the muscles. They just worked out at an exclusive gym where only the rich and famous like Oscar go. They?ve been invited to watch a magic show at the hotel but they know they?ve got to be in bed by 9 p.m.”
Aldeguer said it?s not certain if Roach will work their corners.
“Freddie has been very attentive to the boys,” said Aldeguer. “They?ve become very close. They?ve learned a lot from Freddie. But we know Freddie may want to concentrate on Oscar because it?s the biggest fight of his life. The boys are prepared to fight with or without Freddie in the corner. Edito, Tony (Martin) as cutman and someone designated by Freddie or Golden Boy, if not Freddie himself, will be with Boom Boom and Banal in the corners.”
Aldeguer said Golden Boy?s blockbuster “The World Awaits” card has been sold out for weeks.
“There are a handful of tickets left like a first row seat that?s selling for $107,000 and a fifth row seat for $40,000,” said Aldeguer. “For two Filipinos to fight in this card is a source of pride for our country.”
Aldeguer said unlike Manny Pacquiao, Bautista and Banal aren?t besieged by autograph-seekers.
“Nobody can surpass what Manny has done,” said Aldeguer. “He?s an icon. My boys look up to Manny and try to train as hard as he does. Aside from his speed, heart and power, what makes Manny great is his dedication to training. Like Manny, Boom Boom and Banal give it their all in training. It?s good they?re not being mobbed. They have no distractions whatsoever.”
Aldeguer?s son Jay and chief lieutenant Sammy Gello-ani arrived in Las Vegas the other day. Another Aldeguer son Michael flew in earlier and stays at the MGM Grand Hotel with Bautista and Banal as their registered manager.
