ROACH EAGER TO TRAIN AJ BANAL
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 02 Mar 2007
Two-time ?Trainer of the Year? Freddie Roach can?t wait to get AJ Banal into the gym and to work on honing his skill just like he did with Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao.
In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today, Roach said he had heard a lot about the 17 year old southpaw who is undefeated in 13 fights with 10 knockouts is coming off a spectacular first round KO victory over Thailand?s Komrit Evereadygym in the ?Moment of Truth? fight card at the Cebu City Sports Complex.
Roach said some boxing people have told him that Banal may even turn out to be better than emerging ring sensation Rey ?Boom Boom? Bautista whom Roach has described as a ?baby faced assassin outside the ring but someone who wants to kill people inside the ring.?
Roach said he is eager to see Banal as well as Bautista when they arrive in Puerto Rico to train at Oscar De La Hoya?s training camp later this month. Bautista and Banal will be accompanied by Filipino trainer Edito ?Ala? Villamor.
WBO president Francisco ?Paco? Valcarcel who watched Banal in action last Saturday said he was ?an amazing fighter who reminds me of Hector ?Macho? Camacho of 1980.? Valcarcel said Banal had a terrific jab and a vicious left hook to the body and predicted he would be a world champion in the future.
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