ALA stable owner Tony Aldeguer said he?s not rushing a world title shot for A. J. Banal even as the Bohol superflyweight appeared ripe for a crack after halting previously unbeaten Uruguayan Caril Herrera in the fourth round at the Big Dome yesterday.
?A. J.?s only 19,? said Aldeguer. ?Herrera was a big test for him and A. J. proved himself worthy to be the IBF?s No. 1 contender. But I want him to be more seasoned, to fight more fighters with different styles. Maybe, he?ll fight twice more before challenging for the title.?
Aldeguer said another ALA fighter Z Gorres is in line for a shot at the IBF 115-pound crown and Banal, who is younger, will just wait his turn. Gorres, fresh from figuring in a draw with former champion Vic Darchinyan, is set to defend his IBF Intercontinental crown against Tanzania?s Francis Miyeyusho in Cebu City on May 18.
Banal was impressive in disposing of Herrera, the betting favorite. Herrera?s purse was $30,000 compared to Banal?s $20,000 because his credentials were more glowing.
?I?m ready to fight for the world title but my manager (Aldeguer?s son Michael) knows what?s best,? said Banal in Filipino. ?I?ll wait for my chance.?
Banal said Herrera was a tougher opponent than his last victim, Mexico?s Jovanny Soto who was stopped in eight last December. ?He kept coming forward,? he said. ?If I stepped back, he would control the fight. So I just made sure he wouldn?t be able to come in swinging by jabbing and throwing combinations.?
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Rey (Boom Boom) Bautista?s father Alberto played Bacolod City Mayor Bing Leonardia?s role in Manny Pacquiao?s fights by holding up his son?s WBO Intercontinental superbantamweight title belt in the march from the dressing room to the ring before the fight against Mexico?s Genaro Camargo yesterday.
?Boom Boom and his father are like best friends,? said Aldeguer. ?They hang out together. They?re very close.?
After Bautista blasted Camargo into submission in the second round, his father and mother Susana entered the ring to congratulate their son. Bautista gave his mother a big hug.
?We?re very proud of him,? said Alberto. ?He wanted to show he still has the power to knock out opponents and he did it.?
Camargo went down twice from right hands in the first round but Bautista used a left hook to finish off the Mexican in the second. Using ?Duro? (Spanish for ?hard?) as his ring sobriquet, Camargo was reduced to rubble by Bautista who gave him a new nickname ?blando? (Spanish for ?soft?).
Bautista was paid $20,000 for the effort and Camargo, $17,000.
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Roach almost didn?t fly in for Gerry Pe?alosa?s WBO bantamweight title defense against Ratanachai Sor Vorapin of Thailand yesterday. Last Thursday, he went to the Los Angeles Airport ready to board the Philippine Airlines flight to Manila only to be told at the check-in counter, his passport had lapsed. ?I didn?t realize my passport expired last December,? said Roach. ?My lawyer told me it takes 48 hours to get a new passport but I couldn?t wait that long because I would miss Gerry?s fight. I took a chance in going to the US Federal Building in Los Angeles the next day and luckily, the person in charge of passports was a boxing fan. I mentioned I had to be in Manila for Gerry?s fight. To my surprise, my passport was ready in six hours.?
Notes. Froclicking at ringside were Pacquiao?s sons Jimuel, 7, and Michael Stephen, 6, with best friends, trainer Buboy Fernandez? sons Paul, 7, and John Kylo, 5. Fernandez? daughter Mary Divine, 2, was also at the Big Dome. Fernandez joined Roach in Pe?alosa?s corner for the Vorapin fight. Also in the crew was Pe?alosa?s brother Jonathan?In the audience were former Gov. Chavit Singson, Secretary Lito Atienza and son Ali, former Sen. Ramon Revilla, Mayor Jayvee Ejercito, Mayor Dan Neri Lim, Mayor Leonardia, ABC-5 owner Tony Boy Cojuangco, banker Eric Tagle, Fil-Am ultimate heavyweight fighter Brandon Vera, Rex (Wakee) Salud, Golden Boy vice president Eric Gomez, WBO Asia-Pacific chairman Leon Panoncillo, Cesar Montano, Bayani Agbayani and PBA coach Binky Favis who reported that George Gervin?s son Gee will be Coca-Cola?s ?small? import replacement in the Fiesta Conference. – With report from Rudy Santos
