NOT MUCH PINOY PRIDE ON BANAL'S WIN
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 01 Nov 2010
Mixed reactions were raised by the audience at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino Ballroom when referee Ver Abainza decided a disqualification on the former two-time world champion Luis Alberto Perez and ruled AJ Banal the winner at 1:46 of the seventh round. Part of the crowd got angry over the hostile punch thrown by Perez which was done when the referee was breaking the Nicaraguan onslaught on Banal.
Some fans who thought that Banal could have lost the bout, with the ALA pugilist already wobbly and on the verge of repeating history of his first loss to Rafael Concepcion, were discontented of the way the bout was halted.
True Pinoy Pride was evident in the victory of Mark Jason Melligen over Mexican Bladimir Hernandez at 2:57 of the third round. Hernandez appeared unprepared and unfit for the fight as the US-trained Melligen castigated him right from the start.
Jason Pagara made us Pinoys very proud of a second round stoppage of Thai boxer Sapapetch Sor Sakaorat who could not withstand the blazing guns of the Cagayan de Oro native.
But the Banal controversial win sent many minds thinking what could have happened to Banal if there would have been no extra punches and thereby no disqualification. Experts believed that Banal wanted to stop the fight early by fighting a near flawless first six rounds. But Perez seemed indestructible with all the blows to the head and to the body unleashed by the artillery of the Bazooka.
The veteran former champion in El Demoledor packed so much courage and determination amidst the predominantly hostile crowd cheering for the local hero. His face had been a target of too many Bazooka blows occasionally turning to his torso, but the Latino boxer with a ponytail surprised everyone in the arena by retaliating earlier in the seventh round with flurries that dazed the Cebuano and forced him to clinch for his life.
When he was interviewed by Dyan Castillejo, Banal wanted a rematch to ease the cloud of doubt in his victory. But the way Banal again lost steam in the later rounds, he was destined to the same predicament if a rematch takes place. AJ has to pack so much air and condition himself too well to preserve the much needed gas if the match could go again to the full distance.
Postscript ? The day after the Pinoy Pride boxing card at the Waterfront, together with my wife Chona and sister Mabel, I joined the Citi Gym Half-Marathon sponsored by Waterfront Hotel and Casino. As beginning runners, we joined the 3K category for the race called ?A Halloween Run.?
Top photo: AJ Banal lies on the canvas after being hit by Perez (left, standing) with an illegal punch during their fight Oct. 30 at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City. Photo by King Catriz.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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