Update on Ala Boys' Training and Amonsot's Condition

In preparation for the August 11 'World Cup' of boxing at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California the ALA Boys are doing all the hard work at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood. As they want to bring honor to Pinoy boxing and world title back home to the Philippines, the Pinoy fighters are giving it their best.

For instance, Rey 'Boom Boom' Bautista and AJ Banal are doing daily rounds on the punchmitt and on the hitting the heavy bag. They are undoubtedly inspired the valiant display of courage by Czar Amonsot in his losing effort against Michael Katsidis. Amonsot showed great heart in getting up after two knockdowns and making Katsidis work hard for twelve rounds to keep his title.

However, he has to be confined in the ICU at a Las Vegas Hospital after a CT Scan detected what appeared to be a “little blood clot in his brain.” The doctors in charge of his care decided to administer three more CT Scans on Czar Amonsot following initial findings that he may have had a little blood clot in his brain.

Fortunately, Tony Martin, Amonsots' cut man said that Czar is in great spirits. He was also informed by the medical staff that Czar will have one more test and he will be released with a clean bill of health should the results all be well.

He also explained that Czar has had so many tests plus the hospital because the Nevada Athletic Commission are very strict. They need to be one hundred percent sure that Amonsot is well before they can release him so that they can comply with the legal side of things.

Mid July Pinoy Boxing Updates

This is a continuation to the last I made yesterday. It was meant to be an update but I decided that the story on Nonito Donaire and Wonjonkam's possible bout was enough.

This seems to be a great month for Pinoy boxers as ALA Boy Along Denoy took the WBO Asia Pacific light-flyweight crown with a shock l knockout victory over Kaichon Sor Vorapin in Thailand just a few hours ago. Denoy stopped Vorapin at the 2:40 mark of the fifth round to snatch the title away from Vorapin.

The ALA boy drew first blood early, knocking down Vorapin in the second round. He then continued his domination when he knocked Vorapin down twice in the fourth stanza. The fight was over when he scored two more knockdowns against Vorapin in the fifth round.

Meanwhile in japan, OPBF welterweight champion Taesei Marumoto and Filipino challenger Rev Santillan tipped the scales easily at 66.6 and 66.65, respectively for their 12-round championship fight. Their bout will be held tomorrow at the Amagasaki in Hyogo. Let us hope that Rev can regain the OPBF title and add to the success of Pinoy in this month. He has a good chance as he has beaten Marumoto three years ago.

Happy Birthday Boom Boom!

Today, rising Pinoy boxing star and undefeated ALA Boy Rey 'Boom Boom' Bautista turns 21. However, he cannot afford to spend a lot of his time in celebrations as he continues to train for his August 11 challenge of WBO superbantam king Daniel Ponce De Leon.

We Pinoy boxing fans don't have to worry as the birthday boy seems to be foceused on his mission. In fact, he placed 8th among thousands who participated in the annual DYAB 10-Kilometer Run in Cebu last Sunday. He even bested some professional runners on the way to a 37-minute clocking. The decent finish in the 10-K event is a welcome sign that the young boxing phenom is well on his way to being ready for De Leon.

Pacman Update

Yesterday, Games and Amusement Board (GAB) chairman Eric Buhain revealed a plan to make Pacquiao's next fight as main attraction of the 45th World Boxing Council Convention which the country will host from November 11 to 17 this year. The next fight of Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao against either Humberto Soto or undefeated Joan Guzman will be held in Manila if this plan pushes through .

Buhain said, "we have ongoing series of meetings with MP (Manny Pacquiao) Promotions about the possibility of bringing Manny's next fight in the country during the boxing convention and Manny is considering that proposal."

He also added that, "whoever will be the next opponent of Manny would remain a big attraction during the World Boxing Convention and, hopefully, we can bring his next fight here in Manila again.

Buhain and his staff will have another meeting on Tuesday morning. However, this time it might be with Pacquiao himself who returned on Monday from the United States where he received the prestigious Boxer of the Year award from a group of American boxing writers.

The big boxing match will be held at the Araneta Coliseum, if Pacquiao's handlers, including Arum, agreed to GAB's proposal.Pacquiao defeated Mexican Oscar Larios on July 2, 2006 at the same venue.

Philippine Boxing Updates

Respected boxing trainer Edito Villamor and WBO Asia-Pacific lightweight king Czar Amonsot are scheduled to depart for the US on Tuesday. They hope to continue Amonsot's training at Freddie Roach's Wild Card Gym. They will take the Cebu-Manila-Las Vegas route, and will take the almost six-hour drive to the City of Angels.

On July 21, the ALA Boy Amonsot is to challenge WBO interim lightweight king Michael Katsidis. Their clash will happen before the Bernard Hopkins-Winky Wright superbout. The unbeaten Australian, Katsidis, was supposed to fight Joan Guzman last May 26. However, Guzman claimed injury causing the fight to be cancalled.

Many boxing fans thought he simply chickened out of the big fight. This speculation may well be true as Katsidis brings an extraordinary reputation as a boxer who fights with breath-taking pace and power into the fight.


Asian Boxing Cup?

Sammy Gello-ani, Cebu’s prime boxing promoter is now on the finishing touches of the “more realistic” Asian Cup Boxing. This comes after his failure to bag the multi-million dollar Boxing World Cup. The Asian Boxing Cup will feature upcoming fighters from active boxing countries in Asia.

The Asian Cup is only for boxers under 23 unlike the pricier World Cup, where the best fighters from the Philippines and Mexico would have slugged out for glory. However, the Philippines youthful and rising stars AJ Banal and Rey Bautista will not be a part of this project since they are participants in the "World Cup" of boxing.

ALA Boys to Fight for WBO Regional Belts

Today, ALA Boys Robert Allanic and Fernando Otik will attempt to overcome Korean foes for World Boxing Organization (WBO) regional belts. The bouts will be held at the Shinheung University Gym in Uijeongbu City, Seoul, South Korea.

Otik (6-1, 6KOs) takes on Hee-Jae cho (8-2, 4KOs) for the vacant WBO Asia-Pacific Youth super featherweight title. On the other hand, Allanic (15-3, 7KOs) will take in Chang-Jae Kwon (14-2, 10KOs) for the WBO Asia-Pacific interim bantamweight championship, .

Otik wants to claim another victim via stoppage in Hee. The power-punching super featherweight posted all his six wins via knock out. He flattened Noli Fabroa in the third round in his last ring sortie at the Tabunok Gym in Talisay City last May 1. However, Otik must be extra cautious as Hee is aching to bounce back from a defeat by unanimous decision to Byung Joo Moon on December 17, 2006.

For his part, the 21-year-old Allanic hopes to regain lost glamour after losing his last two matches. Allanic lost by retirement at the end of the eighth round in his last fight against Abner Mares of Mexico last March 2 in New Alhambra, Philadelphia. Let us hope that these ALA boys can bring home the belys.