WITH current World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight champion Jorge Arce?s possible move back up to the super bantamweight division, ALA Promotions is looking at a world title fight for WBO No. 1 AJ Banal later this year after a tune-up fight in Manila in July.
?It would still be for a regional title in preparation for the world title late this year, as there are talks that Arce will be fighting at 122 pounds in the undercard of (Manny) Pacquiao- (Timothy) Bradley,? ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer told Sun.Star Cebu.
Arce is slated to face super bantamweight Jesus Rojas on June 9 in the undercard of Pacquiao and Bradley at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
If Arce decides to campaign at 122 and relinquish his WBO bantamweight title, then this would be a golden opportunity for the 23-year-old Banal to fight for the vacant crown against WBO No. 2 Pungluang Sor Singyu.
?We are looking at October for the world title fight of Banal in the new MOA (Mall of Asia) Arena in Manila or we fight in Thailand. We have not have not had formal talks with the Thai promoter yet as we still need to know the final plans of Arce. We will know on June 9, when he fights in the undercard of Pacquiao,? said Aldeguer.
Banal, 27-1-1 with 20 knockouts, once fought for a world title, the interim World Boxing Association super flyweight belt, but failed after he lost steam and was stopped in the 10th round by Rafael Concepcion in 2008 in Cebu City. Since then, Banal has has gone unbeaten in 10 fights.
Sor Singyu, on the other hand, is a 24-year-old veteran with 42 fights under his belt.
He is the current interim WBO Oriental bantamweight titleholder with an impressive 41- 1 record with 26 knockouts.
