MANILA, Philippines ? From his loss to Panama?s Rafael Concepcion in 2008, Filipino boxer AJ ?Bazooka? Banal said he has definitely moved on, learning enough to pound Nicaragua?s Luis Alberto Perez in this Saturday?s bout.
“For this fight, I am not thinking of my loss to Concepcion. I have a different conditioning regimen, and I have put in the work in the gym,? Banal said in a press conference at the Waterfront Hotel, Cebu, a Philboxing.com article reports.
The 21-year-old Cebuano boxer, a member of the renowned ALA Boxing Gym, lost the interim WBA World super flyweight title to the Panamaian Concepcion in July two years ago.
Banal will commence this weekend?s fight card against Nicaragua?s El Demoledor at the Waterfront Hotel.
He said he has learned from his Concepcion match and has modified his boxing style in order to win.
?We prepared for a style that is similar to Concepcion, or a style that is different,” the 5?4? boxer said, noting that the adjustment in style might win him the non-title competition.
The match will be televised by ABS-CBN. ?Pinoy Pride? will open with the Banal-Perez bout.
In the other corner
In the conference, the camp of Banal?s opponent said they are rather confident of prevailing in this Saturday?s match.
“I have seen some [footage] of Banal’s previous fights, and I have the key to beat him. We know what to do, and we are here to do that,” Perez?s trainer-manager Mario Antonio Fonseca said.
Perez though told the writers that he doesn?t watch his foe?s boxing videos.
Team Perez?s Fonseca added that they have ?traveled halfway across the globe not to lose,? and they are committed to raise their 5?5? boxer in the boxing benchmark.
?He (Perez) is not popular in our country in Nicaragua. Only Manny Pacquiao is popular. But after the fight, we will make sure Perez is popular in the Philippines by beating Banal,” he said.
The boxers decked for Saturday also feature Mark Jason Melligen against Mexican Bladimir Hernandez; Jason Pagara versus Sapapetch Sor Sakaorat; Larry Bon Jovi Canillas against Ramie Laput; Jun Intor versus Romano Gelig; Wilbeth Loberanis versus Joel Lagusan; Ryan Canillas against Renjie Sabanal; and Rey Melligen against Billy Vullecer.
