IBF READY TO GIVE BANAL A CRACK AT NO. 1 RANKING
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 28 Oct 2011
The International Boxing Federation ? IBF ? is ready to give promising Filipino bantamweight AJ ?Bazooka? Banal a crack at the No. 1 ranking which would mean a mandatory title shot for the 118 pound crown should Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire go ahead with his announced plan to move up to super bantamweight.
IBF Championship Committee chairman Lindsey Tucker told the Manila Standard that after the Abner Mares-Joseph Agbeko rematch on December 3 he would ?start with the No. 4 and No. 5 ranked fighters and go down the list to see who wants to fight for the mandatory position.?
Tucker said ?if Banal is still No. 4 or 5 when I go down the list he will have an opportunity to fight for No. 1.?
Former world flyweight champion, 30 year old Cristian Mijares of Mexico who has a record of 43-6-2 with 19 knockouts is ranked No. 5. The 22 year old Banal has a record of 26-1-1 with 19 knockouts.
The 22 year old southpaw is coming off an impressive unanimous twelve round decision over Mexico?s Mario Briones in the third defense of his WBO Asia Pacific title which he won with a 5th round knockout over Big Yoo of South Korea in Tagbilaran City, Bohol on July 17, 2010.
Banal is also ranked No.2 by the WBO, No. 4 by the WBA and No. 10 by the WBC.
Should Donaire relinquish his WBO title then Banal would be in line for a shot at the vacant title against No. 1 ranked Pungkluang Sor Singyu (38-1, 26 KO?s) of Thailand.
Banal (L) in action against Mario Briones in Bacolod last Oct. 8.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
A Masterpiece of Boxing: Terence Crawford Dethrones Canelo Alvarez in Historic Showdown
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Battle of Undefeated: Callum Walsh Vanquishes Fernando Vargas Jr.
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Undercard Inferno: Mbilli and Martinez Deliver a Super Middleweight War Ending in a Thrilling Draw
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Crawford to defy odds?
By Joaquin Henson, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Clash of Titans: The Final Predictions for Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Weigh-In Results: Naoya Inoue vs. Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Sun, 14 Sep 2025Inoue and Akhmadaliev Make Weight for Sunday's Battle, Watch it LIVE on Facebook!
By Carlos Costa, Sun, 14 Sep 2025IIEE North Cotabato and Metro Central are the Golden Champion on 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Chess
By Marlon Bernardino, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Sydney Sy Tancontian is Female Awardee of Sports Hero of the Year
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 13 Sep 2025Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford: Size Matters
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 13 Sep 2025BOOTS TALKS SPARRING WITH CANELO IN ‘DAY IN THE LIFE’
Sat, 13 Sep 2025WEIGHTS FROM LAS VEGAS: CANELO - 167.5 LBS., CRAWFORD - 167.5 LBS.
By Dong Secuya, Sat, 13 Sep 2025BELFAST: WEIGH-IN RESULTS AND FIGHT NIGHT RUNNING ORDER
Sat, 13 Sep 2025Canoy cancels title fight due to child’s death
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 13 Sep 2025Vietnam’s Pool Revolution: Hanoi Open Pool Championship
Sat, 13 Sep 2025