AJ BANAL: A SECOND STAB AT GLORY
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 27 Jul 2012
He had once been anointed as Philippine boxing's next big star.
At age 19, AJ 'Bazooka' Banal had racked up 17 straight wins, 13 by knockout, against above average competition that included future Mexican world champion Juan Alberto Rosas, Indonesian title challenger Angky Angkota and highly ranked Uruguayan Caril Herrera.
Gifted with power in both hands, solid fundamentals and impenetrable defense, Banal was a joy to watch in the ring. Opponents fell one after another, fight after fight. In only his 11th ring appearance, at age 17, Banal was paired against the highly dangerous Angky Angkota, who at that time already owned a 1st round knockout victory over another ALA stalwart Rocky Fuentes and inflected Donnie Nietes's only career loss.
Banal however, totally dominated Angkota in a 10-round fast-paced contest dishing out a neat boxing lesson to the hapless Indonesian veteran. Banal's performance over Angkota had firmly established him as a future boxing star.
Fast forward to the evening of July 26, 2008 exactly four years ago today. Banal, gunning for win No. 18 and a world championship, was about to face Panama's Rafael Concepcion for the Interim WBA super flyweight title in the jampacked and oven hot Cebu Coliseum filled with prominent people from the different strata of Philippine society who came to witness the crowning of another Filipino boxing star. The indomitable Sampson Lewkowicz, who helped guide Banal's career up to that point, was there proud to have discovered another Filipino star after himself discovered Manny Pacquiao. Golden Boy's vice-president and matchmaker Eric Gomez, was on hand bringing with him a lucrative contract for Banal to be signed after the fight. Manny Pacquiao had just defeated David Diaz that June and was on the verge of becoming a crossover star. Surely, Banal's coming out party will usher in a golden era of Philippine boxing.
After the 6th round, everything was running according to script. Concepcion was battered black and blue and blood was gushing from his nose, already broken by the Bazooka's uppercuts to the delight of the hometown crowd. It was only a matter of time before Banal would stop Concepcion. According Philboxing Panamanian writer Carlos Costa, who was in the corner of his compatriot that evening, Concepcion told his trainer Hector Roca as early as the 4th round that he already wanted to quit but Roca wouldn't hear of it and told his ward in return to just give and throw everything that he's got.
Young Banal dominates Angky Angkota of Indonesia.
Banal down on the canvas against Concepcion.
Banal cries in the corner after the Concepcion defeat.
Banal's recent fight againt Hidalgo.
L-R: Trainer Edmund Villamor, ALA President Michael Aldeguer and Banal at last Wednesday presscon announcing Banal's upcoming world title fight against Pungluang Sor Singyu on Oct. 20 at Mall of Asia Arena.
The second half of the fight however, told a different story. Beginning in the 7th round, Banal showed visible signs of tiring out and Concepcion's continuous pounding at Banal's back during clinches didn't help. Banal would still hit his target but too bad it would not have any effect on the Panamanian who seemed to grow stronger as the rounds became deeper and as Banal became weaker and weaker. Finally, in the 10th round, Banal went down from Concepcion's series of blows and didn't beat the referee's count, more likely from exhaustion than from Concepcion's knockout power.
Everything went crushing down with Banal as he sat on the canvas that fateful night, shaking his head; the image of the referee counting him out to what seemed like an eternity was indelibly etched in the minds of the audience as they made their way out to the exit, shaking their heads.
Now, after four years and after 11 consecutive victories going forward, the stigma of that defeat still haunts Banal, Banal's handler the ALA stable, and Philippine boxing in general. Many are not ready to forgive and forget what had happened that night; many are still wary about Banal's lack of stamina and or lack of heart; many still blame Banal's corner and or ALA's training methods; and many still believe that Philippine boxing is still limited to Manny Pacquiao.
?AJ was still very young then, was he only 18 or 19?,? Banal's trainer Edmund Villamor told the Cebu media yesterday during the press conference announcing Banal's upcoming world title fight against Thailand's Pungluang Sor Singyu on October 20 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. ?He was still immature back then but he has learned a lot and he is more mature now. He now paces himself quite well as he had shown during his fight against Mario Briones,? Villamor added.
?Now I know what I have to do,? Banal, who is now married with two children, told the gathered mediamen. ?Before, I would try to finish my opponent with one punch. And if he does not go down with one punch, I'll try to hit him with another, and yet another, until he goes down. But I now realize that sometimes you need to back off, to pace yourself when the need arises,? Banal said.
Banal, who now has 28 victories to his credit against a loss and a draw and is rated No. 1 contender by the WBO in the bantamweight division, earned a shot of the title after the Mexican champion, Jorge Arce, vacated in order to fight superbantam champ and pound-for-pound fighter Nonito Donaire Jr this October. Banal fights No. 2 contender Pungluang who has also an impressive record of 42 wins with 27 stoppages and only 1 loss.
The Banal-Pungluang fight itself was a difficult fight to make. It almost went to purse bid and the negotiations took six months to be finalized. One Songchai, Thailand's biggest boxing promoter, handles Pungluang and was hell bent to bring the fight to Thailand. It took several back and forth offers from each party and the intervention of WBO president Paco Valcarcel himself and WBO vice-president Leon Panoncillo Jr that both parties finally came into agreement.
?Two years ago this fight could not have happened here,? ALA President Michael Aldeguer said, referring to the poor commercial support of boxing in the country which left promoters unable to stage a world title fight here. For this fight, Aldeguer said they got the support of Asia Brewery, SM Group and Philippine giant TV network ABS-CBN. ?This is a testament to what Philippine boxing has become,? added Aldeguer. ?It was difficult for us to bring this fight in the country but we did it... but at the end of the day, our boxer [Banal] still needs to win it.?
And AJ Banal better win it this time around, otherwise there might not be a third serving for him and a loss would mean another huge setback for ALA Gym and Philippine boxing in general.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
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