SANDUGO BLOODFEST: BANAL, PAGARA, BACON WIN BOUTS
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 18 Jul 2010
AJ Banal and Big Yoo engaged in a fiery display of close quarter hand to hand combat and gave the more than thirty thousand Boholanos in attendance a fight of the year candidate.
Yoo (16W-3L, 11KO?s) of South Korea charged at Banal(22W-1L-1D, 18 KO?s) from the opening bell as they traded power punches to the body and head.
In the second round an accidental headbutt opened a cut on Banal?s scalp and the fight went on with blood trickling from his right temple. The southpaw Banal landed his best one-two combos but Yoo was still standing and came back for more.
In the fourth round, they continued to exchange hooks and uppercuts in the center of the ring. Yoo had enough power to get Banal?s attention. In the 5th round, Yoo kept charging forward and staggered a retreating Banal.
A right to the temple and a sharp left uppercut spun Yoo back and he staggered and fell in his own corner. Referee Bruce McTavish reached the count of ten at the 1:59 mark.
The crowd revelled in Banal?s knockout win for the vacant WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight title and the sky was filled with exploding fireworks.
This was Yoo?s first stoppage loss. Banal, who traces his roots to Baranggay Sambog, Corella, Bohol, thanked the partisan fans for their support.
Jason Pagara (19W-1L, 11 KO?s) of Cagayan de Oro and the ALA Gym won by second round TKO over Korean Young Bin Kim (11W-2L, 7 KO?s). Young Bin towered over Pagara who had trouble closing the gap and landing his punches in the first round.
Pagara would get hit with two to three punches before landing some of his own. But when he did, the fighters exchanged brutal shots that had the crowd on the edge of their seats.
Pagara continued to attack in the second round and staggered Kim as his sharp hooks inflicted cuts on the Korean?s eyelids. The referee called the ring physician who recommended a halt to the bout. Pagara was declared the winner at the 2:18 mark.
Top photo: AJ 'Bazooka' Banal (C) celebrates after winning by knockout Big Yoo of South Korea and captured the WBO Asia-Pacific Bantamweight Title.
Banal (C) poses with Tagbilaran City mayor Dan Neri Lim (R) and event sponsor Hans Schoof of Peacock Garden Luxury Resort & Spa (L).
Jason Pagara (R) connects with a left against Young Bin Kim of South Korea.
James Bacon (R) awaits as the referee administers the counter on Eric Macas.
The ALA Gym?s James Bacon won by 6th round knockout over Eric Macas of the Bong Yap Stable of Lanao del Norte. Bacon?s long left jab was on target and opened a small cut on Macas? right cheek in the first round. Macas used wild but powerful swings to counter Bacon?s stinging left right combinations.
Body shots from Bacon slowed Macas down and his face swollen but he was still hanging around. A fusillade of body shots sent Macas down in the sixth round in his own corner and he was counted out at 2:05 of the round.
Candijay, Bohol?s Rey ?BoomBoom? Bautista continuously pounded Fernando Otik in their three round exhibition sparring session. Bautista is scheduled for a fight next month.
For the other undercard match-ups:
Ricky Sismundo of Tagbilaran City knocked down Jovie Merca of Butuan City three times in the second round and won by TKO. Official time ? 2:16.
Rocky Bacor of the DDP Stable of Butuan City beat Jefferson Reodeque of Tagbilaran City by split decision in a rough and bruising six round contest. The scores: 58-55, 58-56 for Bacor and 58-55 for Reodeque.
Jomar Cordinillo of Tagbilaran City won by unanimous decision over Sherwin Longay of Lanao del Norte after six rounds. The scorecards read ? 60-54, 59-55 and 59-55.
Wilbeth Loberanis of Tagbilaran City won by second round knockout over Jolito Catubay of the RWS Stable of Cebu City. Catubay was knocked down twice in the 2nd and the referee reached the ten count at the 2:58.
The event was opened by five pairs of amateur bouts. The ?SANDUGO ? Labanan ng mga Kampeon? fight card was held Saturday July 17 at the Carlos P. Garcia Sports Complex in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.
POSTSCRIPT:
Philboxing would like to thank the City Government of Tagbilaran and the Boholanos for their hospitality.
Banal entered the ring to the booming sound of his own theme song ?Bazooka?. He still shows vulnerability but his ability to turn a fight around with his power makes him a top draw.
Yoo deserves a return engagement here in the Philippine against the other bantamweight contenders. He was winning in the 5th round before he got knocked out.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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