ROACH SAYS BANAL SHOULD WIN
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 18 Jul 2008
If trainer Freddie Roach?s views help build the confidence of a young fighter, then his comments on AJ ?Bazooka? Banal?s showdown with Panama?s Rafael ?El Torito? Concepcion at the Cebu Coliseum on July 26 should give the 19 year old southpaw a boost.
In an overseas telephone conversation with Dennis Principe and this writer o the dzSR Sports Radio show ?Sports Chat?, Roach said he believes Banal should win the vacant World Boxing Association super flyweight title next Saturday.
The fight will be telecast by the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN over Studio 23 beginning at 7:30 pm. And will be replayed on the network?s pre-eminent Channel 2 on Sunday at 9:45 a.m.
Roach said ?I actually know Banal?s opponent and have seen tapes of him and Banal should win the title.?
Roach confessed he ?missed working? with the boxers from the famed ALA Gym of respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer. He said ?AJ and the ALA boys, I miss them. They are good guys and I wish them all the best.?
Roach said he was not sure whether he could be in Cebu for the Banal title fight because he was working on the fight for Gerry Penalosa, the reigning WBO bantamweight champion who will defend his title against Nestor Rocha in Tubod, Lanao del Norte on September 21. Roach said ?if the Gerry fight comes through I?ll be there soon.?
Penalosa will visit Cebu to host a press conference at 3 p.m. on Saturday at the Cebu Grand Hotel to formally announce plans for the fight along with promoter Sammy Gello-ani.
Roach said ?a lot of people don?t know the Philippines. They don?t know how great a country you have. I?m thinking of moving there one of these days.?
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