ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW WITH AJ BANAL
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 27 Apr 2007
Banal training in Puerto Rico.
Emerging Filipino ring sensation AJ "Bazooka" Banal took time out to speak with PhilBoxing.com's Dong Secuya from the De La Hoya training camp in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico where he is currently training with fellow Filipino Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista under the invitation of Golden Boy Oscar de la Hoya. Banal and Bautista will fight in the undercard of the historic De la Hoya vs Mayweather card "The World Awaits" on May 5 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV.
DS: How are you?
AJ: Fine, we've just finished our morning jog.
DS: What time do you jog? What route do you take?
AJ: We leave at 6 a.m. from our condo and go to the direction of Oscar's [de la Hoya] apartment and sometimes we go somewhere else.
DS: How many kilometers do you jog everyday?
AJ: We run for 45 minutes if there is no scheduled sparring and 30 minutes if we have to spar.
DS: How often do you spar?
AJ: Last week we sparred at T-T-S but this week it's M-W-F.
DS: I've heard that you sparred with Ivan Calderon? What was the result?
AJ: Yes. He is very stylish. But he did not mix it up with me because he could not hurt me.
DS: He's probably too small for you. Who else did you spar?
AJ: I sparred with big men. I don't know their names but they said they were undefeated.
DS: What are their weights?
AJ: 122, 126 Sir. I also sparred with Billy Dib.
DS: What were the results of your sparrings? I heard that you busted the nose of one of your sparmates?
AJ: Yes, one got his nose busted and blood came out. The guy won't spar with me anymore according to Coach [Edito Villamor].
DS: Until when are you going to spar and how many rounds of sparring have you logged?
AJ: Our last sparring will be on Friday [Apr 29]. After my fight in Cebu, maybe I've already sparred more than a hundred rounds including the ones in LA.
DS: How is your training with Freddie [Roach]? And what instructions did he give you?
AJ: Good. He made corrections on how to deliver my punches properly to hit the opponent.
DS: Have you learned anything from Freddie?
AJ: Yes, Freddie is like Sir ALA [Tony Aldeguer].
DS: Do you watch Oscar train and spar?
AJ: Yes, all the time because after he train we go home together.
DS: What do you think of his game?
AJ: He moves beautifully. It is the consensus of the boxers here that Oscar is going to knock Mayweather out if Mayweather will mix it up with him.
DS: Is Shane Mosley still sparring with Oscar?
AJ: Up until last week. Mosley and company had already left.
DS: What is your weight right now?
AJ: 119 after we jogged this morning.
DS: Do you have video tapes of the fights of Rosas?
AJ: No sir. Do you have one?
DS: We couldn't find one either.
AJ: Ah OK.
DS: Are you not afraid that your opponent [Rosas] has a record of 25 wins with 22 knockouts and the fact that you have not seen how he fight?
AJ: No Sir. Even if I haven't seen him fight.
DS: In your last fights against the Thais and Indonesians, have you seen their fights before you fought them?
AJ: No Sir.
DS: I see. So you have to find it out inside the ring.
AJ: That's correct Sir.
DS: Last question: knowing that your opponent will also throw punches, had it not occured to you that you could be hit and will lose the fight?
AJ: I am not thinking about that. Maybe my opponent is. As far as I'm concerned I will try to extract victory from this fight no matter what it takes.
DS: That's my boy! So what's your secret to victory?
AJ: I don't understand. I have no secret. When I hit my opponent. That's it!
DS: OK. Do you have something to say especially to your fans in Pacland?
AJ: Yes, I hope they will include me in their prayers when they go to church and many thanks for the everyday story at PhilBoxing which we always read together with my coach.
DS: Thank you AJ.
AJ: Thank you Sir.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
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