BANAL WORLD TITLE FIGHT CONTRACT SIGNED
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 21 Jun 2008
Panama?s Rafael "Little Bull" Concepcion has officially signed up to face the Philippines undefeated 19 year old sensation AJ "Bazooka" Banal for the World Boxing Association super flyweight championship at the Cebu Coliseum on July 26.
International matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz whose negotiating skills are considered consummate, flew to Panama to seal the deal after being at special ringside for the IBF minimum weight title fight between Florante Condes and Raul "Rayito" Garcia which Garcia won by a split decision last week in his hometown of La Paz.
The contract was signed during a press conference at the Sheraton Hotel in Panama City by Lewkowicz and Concepcion?s manager Damon de Berry in the presence of WBA Ratings Committee Chairman Jose Oliver Gomez.
Concepcion is the reigning Fedelatin flyweight and WBC Fecarboix super flyweight champion having won both titles in 2005 while Banal is the WBO Asia Pacific Youth super flyweight champion and is only 19 years old. Banal has a ring record of 17-0-1 with 14 knockouts while Concepcion?s record is 10-2-1 with 6 knockouts.
Banal is coming off a fourth round TKO victory over previously undefeated WBC No.1 ranked Caril Herrera of Uruguay last April 6 while Concepcion is likewise coming off an impressive third round TKO over Jean Piero Perez last March 27.
In another agreement clinched by Lewkowicz was the WBA Intercontinental minimum weight championship bout between the classy Milan Milendo and Panama?s Carlos "Shanghai" Melo. Melindo is the reigning WBO Asia Pacific minimum weight champion while Melo was the former WBA Fedecentro and Fedecaribe champion.
Banal?s quest for a world title will be telecast by the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN and will be carried "live" in Panama.
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