THE original ?Battle of Mactan? was fought on April 27, 1521. We know the true story: Datu Lapu-Lapu, armed with bolos and spears, extinguished the Portuguese explorer named Magellan.
Lapu-Lapu won. The intruder was killed. This was 490 years ago.
Win US $500 cash in Sun.Star?s music video contest
Two nights from now, another ?Battle of Mactan? will be disputed. Just a few kilometers away from the actual site of Lapu-Lapu?s victory, the venue will be at the brand-new Hoops Dome.
The host city? Named after the island?s hero. Lapu-Lapu City.
It?s Alex John Banal, who?ll be shirtless like Datu Lapu Lapu, in a confrontation against a Canadian gate-crasher.
TYSON ARRIVES IN CEBU!!
No, it?s not Mike; but it?s the same persona: big-mouthed, vain, brash, hotshot, egotistical. Just like Mike.
This Tyson is named Tyson Cave.
Will this Tyson cave in to AJ inside the Hoops Dome? I think so. I hope so. I wish for this modern-day Magellan to be spanked and taught a 7-foot tall lesson: come to Cebu?s shores and you?ll be Greg-Slaughtered.
?Tyson has an impressive record,? said Michael Aldeguer, the president of ALA Promotions and the man at the helm of this blockbuster. ?He has 15 wins with only one loss. He is considered one of the top prospects in Canada. He wanted this fight as he believes AJ is his ticket to a world title fight.?
Mr. Cave?s resume? He is the reigning WBC Continental Americas Super Bantamweight Champion and the reigning Canada-America-Mexico Super Bantamweight Champion. Impressive.
Mr. Banal, of course, sports an even better bio-data: In 26 fights, he lost only once, drew once, and won two dozen times.
?AJ has matured a lot,? said Aldeguer. As to Cave, he adds: ?He has a unique style and is difficult to fight. This is a good opportunity for us to see how AJ can adjust to different styles. AJ wants a rematch with Concepcion but everything depends on his performance this Saturday.?
The choice of the Hoops Dome, a 6,000-seater arena that?s just 1.5 kms. from the foot of the old Mactan Bridge, is ideal.
?Pinoy Pride has become so big that the former venue has become too small,? said Aldeguer. ?We felt that we needed a bigger venue that is air-conditioned.?
Future world title fights may be held at the Hoops Dome, said Aldeguer. This would depend on the turnout and feedback this weekend.
Apart from AJ-Tyson, Michael Domingo is in the undercard. ?Many are familiar with him as the fighter who knocked out Luiz Melendez in revenge of his good friend, Z Gorres,? said Aldeguer. Another good watch is Lorenzo Villanueva (20 wins; 19 KO?s, no loss).
With the remaining 2011 schedule of ALA Promotions, it will be a busy next five months.
?We have closed the deal with Zanfer, the biggest promoter in Mexico who handles the careers of Juan Manuel Marquez and Eric Morales,? said Aldeguer. ?One of Zanfer?s fighters, WBO World light flyweight champ Ramon Hirales Garcia, will defend his title against Donnie Nietes. The fight will be at the La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod on Sept. 10. It will be one of the biggest sporting events ever in Bacolod.?
Staging a world title bout is expensive. But, says Aldeguer: ?The thrust of ALA Promotions is to show the world that the Philippines can hold world title fights, too.
We believe in Nietes and in his quest to become a two-division World Champion. It?s special to do it in his home city. Nietes is the most underrated world champion we have other than Manny Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire Jr. and Brian Villoria. Nietes is the longest reigning World Champion second to the great Flash Elorde.?
After this Sept. 10 contest, it?s Boom-Boom Bautista in October either in Manila or Davao. There?s Milan Melindo in December or January. Plus, of course, if AJ ?wins impressively,? says Aldeguer, it will be a Concepcion-Banal Part 2 this October or December. ?The plan is for Pinoy Pride to do a Philippine tour in 2011 and, next year, it will be a world tour to bring Pinoy Pride closer to the Filipinos around the world.?
But, for now, all of Cebu?s eyes will be spotlighted on Saturday: Lapu Lapu vs. Magellan, Part II.
