AJ Banal Falls, Benabe Concepcion Triumphs

Pinoy boxing has a taste of both sweet victory and bitter defeat this week. First let's take on the bad news first so that you'll feel better at the end of this post.

One of the brightest Pinoy boxing prospect has fallen. AJ Banal experienced his first defeat at the hands of Panama's Rafael Concepcion in front of the hometown crowd in Cebu City yesterday. According to reports Banal was in control during the entire match and was even leading in the scorecards by the ninth round.

However, the tough Concepcion was able to withstand Banal's attack and was able to outlast and finish the exhausted Banal in the tenth round. Banal was said to be extremely exhausted at he end of the fight that he had to be rushed to a hospital.

Now the question needs to be asked? Will Banal be able to bounce back from this loss? Some might question his stamina. I think this is his first time to fight in the late rounds. Perhaps he will end up like Z Gorres who performed well against Darchinyan and Montiel before losing steam and eventually losing or earning a highly controversial draw.

I mus admit that I was not expecting Banal to lose but this is a good lesson for him. He needs to work on his stamina. He has good power but he has to realize that he can't knock everyone out and he has to prepare to battle into the late rounds. Let's hope that he can recover and fully fulfill his potential.

Let's move on to some good news. Bernabe Concepcion another top Philippine boxing prospect and the current North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super bantamweight champion, defeated Adam Carrera in the third round. their match was part of the undercard for the Cotto-Margarito superfight.

Here's a video of the third round of the fight:



Bernabe Concepcion has been impressive in his international outings. His trainer Aljoe Jaro said that he is ready for a title shot. I agree with that but I would still like to see Concepcion domiunate a real contender before he challenges for a title.

Well, that's if for this post. i hope that our pinoy boxing prospects will have better luck next time.

Manny Pacquiao No. 1 Pound for Pound!

With Floyd "Money" Mayweather announcing his official "retirement", the Ring Magazine, the recognized “Bible of boxing" elevated Pinoy boxing icon, Manny Pacquiao to the top spot of its pound-for-pound ratings.

Well, this is certainly a great achievement for Pacquiao. He is the first Filipino boxer to be ranked no. 1 of the P4P rankings. He is probably the first Asian to hold the coveted top spot. He has been ranked number two behind Floyd for some time now so it's logical that he'll take over now that Floyd has hung up his gloves.

Granted, the P4P rankings are subjective and every one can make a list of the top active boxers. However. the Ring has the respect of many boxing fans and the rankings are decided upon by boxing writers and experts. The list offers an alternative to the muddied rankings found on the different boxing organization.

Then again, since Golden Boy now owns The Ring there have been talks about the rankings being biased towards Pacquiao. Golden boy shares Pacquiao with Top Rank so marketing Pacquiao as the top P4P boxer certainly seems a good business move.

It's also important to consider the Pacman's top competitor for the top P4P spot. Joe Calzaghe is also a very good candidate for the top boxer in the world. he is undefeated and is coming off a string of high profile wins against Hopkins, Kessler and Lacy.

Well, I think Pacquiao's performance against Diaz will prove if he indeed deserves the top spot in the P4P rankings. If he can knock out Diaz then it will solidify his status. It will also bring him more high profile and lucrative fights.

Manny Pacquiao Stamps Mania!

Getting your face on a stamp is a great honor. You need to be famous to gain the prestige of having your mug on a stamp. Of course, if you're a member of an endangered species then you probably won't have any difficulty in seeing yourself in the mail. Anyway, enough with the corny jokes. I just found out that postage stamps featuring Pinoy boxing icon, Manny Pacquiao, went on sale a few days ago.

The initial offering of four Manny Pacquiao stamps mounted on a cover and costing P7 each. This is a clear indication that Pacquiao will be known as one of the great sports heroes in Philippine sports. I think I need to find out where I can get these stamps. Someday I might be able to tell my children and grand children the story behind the stamps of a smiling guy with boxing gloves.


Manny Pacquiao Training Camp Updates

At the moment, the Philippine boxing hero is busy preparing for his lightweight debut against WBC champ David Diaz. This boxing event has been named “Lethal Combination” and will be held at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on June 28.

To promote this lightweight showdown, Pacquiao and Diaz held a free public workout at the West Wind Martial Arts School in Berkley. Both fighters captivated fans with their pugilistic skills and whetted their appetites for the showdown at Las Vegas.

Reports say that trainer Freddie Roach has recruited an aggressive southpaw to help Pacquiao prepare for Diaz. Diaz is a southpaw like Pacquiao so this will be an interesting fight. Most of Pacquiao's opponents have been orthodox fighters so it will be interesting to see how Pacquiao handles Diaz.

Some boxing experts say that that Pacquiao's southpaw stance has been a big advantage against his opponents. Indeed Pacquiao has been considered a rare breed among south paws because of his punching power. Powerful lefties are apparently a rare breed in boxing. Now the question is, will he lose this advantage against Diaz. I guess we'll have to see. Perhaps Diaz will also find difficulty in facing another south paw.

Then there is also the question of the new weight class. Will the Filipino boxing phenom lose all the attributes that made him successful when he steps up in weight? If Pacquiao loses his power and speed then he will find it difficult to be effective against Diaz. Pacquiao's strength has always been his offense. How can he win if he can't hurt Diaz? I guess we'll find out on June 28.

Pinoy Boxers Repel Invasion!

Well, I know that this topic is late by a few weeks but I would like to blog about it anyway because it's a significant victory for Pinoy boxing. I am pretty busy lately so I was unable to post on this when it was fresh. This blog has now achieve Google's PR 4 so I'm now motivated to make a post.

Anyway, in the early part of this month, Pinoy boxing champions and champions displayed their pugilistic prowess against challengers from all corners of the world. The promotion was aptly named "Invasion: Philippines versus the World" to emphasize that our boxers were defending their belts and our country's honor against fighters from Uruguay, Mexico, Thailand, Indonesia and Korea.

As you probably know, the invasion turned into a massacre when our boxers defeated their opponents in impressive fashion. Ciso Morales stopped Korean boxer Yoo Shin Kim on the fifth round. Morales' performance may have earned him a fight in the US.

AJ Banal performed very well when he scored a technical knockout in the fourth round against Caril Herrera an undefeated fighter from Montevideo, Uruguay. Herrera was rumored to be suffering from the effects of a 30 hour flight and may have not performed at his best. However, Banal had no choice but to do his job and impress the Filipino boxing fans.

Bautista resumed his comeback at the world stage by going up against a Mexican fighter, Genaro Camargo. Rey Bautista displayed patience as he pounded his opponent into submission in the second round. Boom Boom may need to step up his competition and perform well to prove that he deserves another title shot.

In the main event, Gerry Penalosa successfully defended the WBO Bantamweight title against Thailand's Ratanachai Sor Vorapin of Thailand. This came as no surprise to me as
Penalosa knocked Vorapin out in their first encounter. The Thai did not come to lose but Gerry was simply too good for him. The question now is what's next for Gerry. I think he should retire if he can't get a high profile fight against Daniel Ponce de Leon, Israel Vasquez or Rafael Marquez.

Other Philippine boxing prospects also performed well after the big main event. Bert Batawang stopped Indonesian Henri Amol in seven rounds and Michael Domingo of the ALA Gym disposed Themimint Sor Chitapattana of Thailand in two rounds.

The success of our boxers in this promotion was a victory for Pinoy boxing. These promotions will attract promoters and open more opportunities for our fighters. We have to honor them for doing their best and taking advantage of the local crowd support to come up with the victory.

Villoria Wins Comeback Fight !

The Beginnings of a Comeback

Brian "the Hawaiian Punch" Viloria made another step towards making his come back by earning a unanimous decision victory over Cesar “Gallito” Lopez. The bout took place in the undercard of the “Revenge or Repeat” fight card featuring Kelly Pavlik and Jermain Taylor.

Viloria is a former light flyweight champion titlist who is now campaigning in the flyweight division. He is now among the Pinoy boxing prospects who is looking to bring another title to the Philippines.

He only took an eight rounder because the card was so loaded with great world title fights. He had to take this fight because it will bring him a lot of visibility that could possibly lead to another crack at a world title. Brian was able to score a knockdown in the fifth round but the durable Lopez was able to survive. Viloria won the bout with sores of 78-73 twice and 77-74 on the last score card.

I hope Viloria can continue this streak and compete for a world title again. he has good power but he lacked focus in the early part of his career. If he can focus totally in his boxing career and use his talent well then another title might be possible.

I can't find any video highlights of this fight yet but I will post a video of it as soon as I can find one.

Early February Filipino Boxing Updates

The furor over the result of the controversial Now or Never main event still hasn't died down. There are still plenty of articles made by Pinoy boxing writers on that subject. However, I think its time to move on to other things. Anyway, these are some significant info on Philippine boxing for this month.


Manny Pacquiao

Pinoy boxing star, Manny Pacquiao is currently training hard for his well anticipated rematch against Juan Manuel Marquez. Unlike his training camp for his rematch against Barrera, his training in the US is quiet with no major controversies. The only significant info on his preparations is that he is looking good and is focused on his regimen.

While Manny is hard at training, boxing writers, analysts and enthusiasts are busy making fight predictions. Some think that Manny will win because Marquez has slowed down since there first meeting while others feel that Marquez still has enough skills to outbox Pacquiao. All these discussions are certainly whetting my appetite for this super fight.

Another significant piece of news i have picked up is that Manny has given a donation to aid the family of fallen boxer, Alex Aroy. Aroy passed away due to injuries sustained during a 10-round bout in Villaba, Leyte.


Bobby Paqcquiao

With far lees fanfare than his brother's training camp, Booby Pacquiao is trainign hard for a bout against Urbano Antillon a lightweight contender. After seeing his stack rise with a string of victories aginst well kniown but faded fighters, Booby's career i once again on the way down following his KO loss against Humberto Sotto.

He is facing an uphill battle against Antillon who is fihting at the lightweight division. This Mexican lightweight prospect is undefeated in 21 fights with 14 KO victories. I hope Bobby can give his Pinoy bosing fans a great performance in this one.


AJ Banal Update

Undefeated Philippine boxing prospect, AJ Banal might be fighting Uruguayan Caril “El Raton” Herrera. Herrera is currently ranked No. 5 in the World Boxing Council and No. 12 in the International Boxing Federation. The proposed venue for this bout is the Cebu Coliseum. Let's hope that the boxing fans can keep their cool if this fight will be held there.

This will be a test for Banal as Herrera is also undefeated. If he surpasses this test then perhaps Banal is ready to step up. However, he is still a growing fighter and there is no need to pressure him into taking big fights. He needs to polish his skills and train hard if he wants to be successful at the highest level.


The Donaire Brothers

Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire Jr. the current IBF/IBO flyweight champion has mnade a chance of plans. He has announced that instead of training in Cebu for his forthcoming title defense against Australian Hussein "Hussy" Hussein, he will return to the US for the preparations.

Donaire did not elaborate further on the reason of their sudden change of plan. Well, if he thinks that training in the US is the best way to go then I'm all for it. He needs to train well because he will be up against a very good and experienced fighter. The championship bout is the main event of the blockbuster April 4 card by Third Force Promotions of Noli Eala in Dubai.

Meanwhile, his brother, Glenn "The Filipino Bomber" will face Brazilian Olympian, Jose Albuquerque when he returns to the ring just two weeks away. Glenn and Albuquerque fought to a six round draw in their first meeting. The rematch between them will be scheduled for eight rounds.

Well, I have nothing more to say but good luck to our fighters. I hope that they will train well and give a good performance in their upcoming fights.

Now or Never Results in Controversial Draw!

The match between Pinoy boxing prospect Z Gorres and former flyweight champion, VIc Darchinyan ended in a disappointing and controversial draw.

I have to admit that I felt that Darchinyan deserved the nod in that fight. Gorres had a great start and was even able to score a knockdown when he dropped Darchinyan in the second round. He was also able to deftly avoid Darchinyan's predictable lunging attack. However, by the eight round it was clear that Gorres was fading and he was losing his legs.

I thought that Gorres would focus on his stamina and conditioning for this fight. It was his stamina that failed him in his title challenge against Montiel. But, against Darchinyan it seems that he had less stamina. I've read that Gorres also came two pounds overweight at the weight-in and that indicated that he was not in shape for his match against Vic.

I was also very disappointed at the behavior of some Pinoy boxing fans during the bout. Some fans got carried away by their emotion when they pelted the referee, Darchinyan, and the visiting trainers with plastic bottles, coins and other debris. The visiting referee did an awful job and Darchinyan used dirty tactics at that fight but it was still wrong for some of the fans to throw things at them.

Throwing coins can be dangerous and any debris and the ring can also cause harm to the fighters. The unpleasant behavior displayed by some fans may also bring a negative image to our country. Foreign champions will feel reluctant in defending their belts in the country and promoters may be discouraged in investing in fights held at the Philippines.

I was also a bit disappointed with the referee when he made a mistake by scoring a knockdown against Gorres in the first round instead of a slip. But, I had nothing but pity for him when he was hit by a water bottle. I mean how can we expect him to be a fair umpire when he feels that the mob will lynch him if he makes a call against Gorres.

It was clear to me that his judgment was affected when he did not call the legitimate knockdowns against Gorres on the last few rounds of the fight. Gorres went down several times in those rounds because he had clearly lost his legs. However, I think he went down a cvouple of times due to the impact of Darchinyan's punches.

It was his first officiating job in foreign soil and the violent reactions of the crowd obviously had an effect on him. Had he scored the knockdowns for Darchinyan, it would have been a clear cut victory for the former champion.

Well, this is how I feel. I know that some Philippine boxing fans may feel differently towards the fight and I respect their views. I hope that Filipino boxing fans can control their emotions and never throw any debris in the ring again.

Philippine Boxing Prospects to Face Tough Japanese Opponents

After witnessing the World Cup of boxing, Pinoy boxing fans will once again be treated to another boxing promotion that will feature our homegrown boxing talents. This weekend, Randy Suico the reigning Orient and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) lightweight champion will headline a blockbuster 78-round card at the Mall of Asia.

This boxing event will include four fights between Filipino boxers against Japanese pugilists making it seem like the beginning of an Asian Cup. This boxing promotion is a project of MP (Manny Pacquiao) Boxing Promotions and is projected to be a regional version of the World Cup, which Philippine boxing dominated with a 5-1 score over Mexico in Sacramento.

In the main event, Randy Suico will stake his OBPF 135-pound crown against Koji Samejima. Jimrex Jaca will also be defending the WBO Asia-Pacific superfeatherweight championship against challenger Ryu Miyagi. Philippine boxing prospect Wyndel Janiola will faces Hirotaka Hisataka in a ten round bout while Jun Plasidad meets Noriyuki Komatsu in a six round match.

Boxing analyst sees Samejima as a major test for Suico as the lanky Japanese has won his last four bouts. The tall and lanky Samejima has dropped down to lightweight in order to battle Suico and avenge the setbacks of four countrymen who were defeated by the Filipino.

Miyagi will also be a handful for Jaca as the Japanese fighter has won his last four outings. His current record stands at 16-1, with 12 KOs. He seems to be a fast starter as 10 of his knock out victories were inside three rounds. Miyagi's only loss happened two years ago as he took a 20-month layoff before returning to the ring last year.

Hisataka is no pushover opponent for Janiola as he once stopped highly regarded Philippine champion Bert Batawang in two rounds. Hisataka is also hungry for a win as he is coming off two losses on points. Histaka’s record is 15-5-1, with 5 KOs.

Pinoy Boxing Team Captures Boxing World Cup!!!

The Philippine boxing team won five of the six bouts at stake at the 'World Cup' of Boxing held at the Arco Arena. The grand boxing event was held in front of a highly-partisan crowd of 4,469 screaming fans for both countries.

Pinoy boxing has solidified its position as the world's boxing superpower by snatching the title away from long-reigning Mexico. As you probably know, Mexico has been the breeding ground for great boxing talents for several decades.

Gerry Penalosa contributed the biggest win when he wrested the WBO bantam title from Mexican champ Jhonny Gonzalez with a come-from-behind knockout win. He hit Gonzales with a paralyzing body shot in the seventh round.

However, it was Z Gorres who sealed the Filipinos' victory. He stopped former WBC champ Eric Ortiz with an eighth-round technical knockout to earn the fourth win for the Philippine boxing team.

Diosdado Gabi of Davao City was the first winner for Team philippines by earning an eight-round unanimous decision over Mexico's Jose Angel Beranza. Michael Domingo then followed it up with a six-round masterful unanimous win over previously unbeaten Miguel Roman. The Domingo-Roman bout was considered one of the most exciting fight of the night and really excited the crowd for the main event.

Cebu's AJ 'Bazooka' Banal completed the five victories needed to secure the World Cup trophy by stopping Jorge Cardenas in the third round of their scheduled six-rounder. He dis[played great power and skill as he repeatedly hit his Mexican opponent with flushed shots culminating with an explosive counter that dropped Cardenas. Cardenas seems to have twisted his knee preventing him from standing up and continuing the fight.

However, the Pinoy boxing team did not sweet all six matches as Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista experienced a very painful first round KO defeat at the hands of Daniel Ponce de Leon. Bautista has expressed a desire to retire after this defeat so we have to wait and see if he decides to return to the ring. I hope he decides to continue his career as he is still young and this setback can make him a better fighter.

Marquez Wants Pacquaio After Juarez

After WBC Super Featherweight Champion Juan Manuel Marquez's upcoming defense against Rocky Juarez, he wants to have a re-match against Pinoy boxing superstar, Manny Pacquiao.

Manny and Juan have unfinished business to revolve according to Ignacio Beristain, the manager of Marquez. According to Beristain, it shouldn’t be too difficult to arrange now that the problems between Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank are resolved. Interestingly, it was Beristain who refused the offer for a rematch between Pacquiao and Marquez after the boxers fought to a draw.

Of course, Juan has to defeat Rocky Juarez at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on September 15th, if he wants a rematch against Pacquiao. Rocky Juarez is the replacement for Jorge Barrios, who showed eye troubles after a medical examination and had to withdraw. Juan Manuel marquez will be on the United States until Sunday because he will be leading the Mexican team which will contest the Boxing World Cup against the Philippines.

Manny Pacquiao, on the other hand, has began his training at the famed Wild Card gym. He has finally arrived in Los Angeles last night to begin the 7 week training for his rematch against Marco Antonio Barrera.

Pacquiao started his first day of training with a short jogging stint around his apartment at the La Brea district in Los Angeles. Pacquiao and his trainers, Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri proceeded to the Wildcard Gym to begin his official training after the Pacman had a short rest and a light breakfast. His training sessions consisted of stretching, single and double speed bag, shadow boxing and body conditioning.

Manny's Arrival Relieves Freddie Roach

Upon hearing that Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao will be in Los Angeles today, celebrated trainer Freddie Roach can now ease his worries. He is currently with Team Philippines in Sacramento as the Pinoy boboxing starts prepares for the World Cup showdown with Mexico at the Arco Arena this weekend.

According to Rob Peters, one of Roach’s assistants at the Wild Card Gym, he was going to pick up Pacquiao at the airport. Freddie Roach and all the people at the gym were reportedly "very happy" that Pacquiao was finally in Los Angeles and ready to begin training for the rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera on October 6 after so many postponements.

It is estimated that Pacquiao will be able to get in shape for Barrera in seven weeks. Since Manny works so hard when he is in training camp, seven weeks will be enough. Meanwhile, Barrera is said to have already begun training and was also "considering going up to Big Bear" where he used to train before. This is unexpected since Barrera had to abandon the training camp because of raging forest fires in the area prior to his first clash with Pacquiao.

"World Cup" of Boxing Update

It has been announced that the Bert Batawang-Gerardo Verde IBF eliminator has been canceled. Since Verde did not pass medical test due to detached retinas, he cannot compete in the event. This means that the World Cup will only have six fights.

Gorres Will Fight in the "World Cup" of Boxing

Z "The Dream" Gorres has been cleared to fight in the World Cup this upcoming Saturday. Since, Gorres' injury has completely healed, Dr. Steinschriber, the eye specialist has given the go signal for him to fight this Saturday.

Gorres' participation in the World Cup was nearly canceled after it was found that his retina a minor tear. Gorres had been advised to return to Dr. Steinschriber's clinic today for a final clearance, after being examined and treated by the eye specialist.

Meanwhile, Team Philippines has arrived in Sacramento. The Pinoy boxing team members are confident of pulling off an upset when they challenge Mexico's dominance in the World Cup of Boxing to be held at the Arco Arena on August 11. Mexico currently holds the title after thrashing Thailand in the inaugural staging of the World Cup.

Manny Pacquiao Update:

Pinoy boxing superstar, Manny Pacquiao has finally left Manila for Los Angeles to begin training for his rematch against Barrera. Pacquiao's trainer, Buboy Fernandez is accompanying him on this trip. They are expected to land in LA Tuesday evening.

Pacquiao's departure for the US has been postponed at least four times. The scheduled press conference of his upcoming fight with Barrera at the plush Beverly Hills hotel jointly organized by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank has been canceled due to these delays.

Mayol Losses, Conception Wins Impressively

July was a lucky month for Pinoy boxing but August does not seem to be a very auspicious one for Philippine boxing. Rodel Mayol's painful KO loss to Ulises Solis is an example of the ominous boxing results fort this month.

It was a painful loss, as Mayol seems to be in control of the fight. However, he made one crucial mistake and paid a heavy price for it. IBF light flyweight champion Ulises Solis nailed Mayol him with a cracking right hook that sent him crashing to the canvas as he was going after the IBF champion.

Fortunately, there also some bright moments for Pinoy boxing in this early part of August. Bernabe Concepcion of the Aljoe Jaro stable shined in an impressive 4th round TKO win over Gabriel Elizondo (23-3 10KOs) at the All-State arena in Rosemont, Illinois. He dominated Elizondo and finally put him down in the fourth.

The brave but out matched Elizondo wanted to continue despite being hurt and even asked the referee for an eight count. However, it wss clear that he was being dominated by the much stronger Concepcion and would only get hurt if the referee allowed the fight to continue.

Elizondo now has a 23-3 10KOs record after his loss. One of his notable wins was against Glen Donaire the older brother of current IBF champ, Nonito Donaire. On the other hand, Concepcion improved his record to 22-1-1 with 12 KO's.

Pacquiao's Delayed Arrival does not Worry Freddie Roach

Pinoy boxing superstar, Manny Pacquiao’s delayed arrival in Los Angeles to begin training for his rematch with legendary Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera on October 6, does not worry top boxing trainer Freddie Roach.

He revealed in an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that Pacquiao was scheduled to arrive in the US on August 4. This date appear to match the announcement that Pacquiao will depart on Sunday aboard a Philippine Airlines flight for LA with trainers Buboy Hernandez and Nonoy Neri.

Pacquiao's departure had previously been postponed no less than four times. He is said to be shooting a movie with sexy star Ara Mina. He was also seen playing pool at a Japanese-owned pool hall in Mabini, One Side.

However, Roach indicated that Pacquiao having late nights playing pool and shooting a movie is not a big concern since he is the most dedicated athlete in the world when he gets into the Wild Card Gym.

It's also important to note that Top Rank promoter Bob Arum and Golden Boy Promotions was forced to re-set a news conference at the Beverly Hills Hotel which Pacquiao and Barrera were scheduled to attend last week due to Pacquiao's failure to leave for the US.

End of July Pinoy Boxing Updates

World Cup of Boxing

The members of the Philippine team has stepped up their training with the Philippine vs. Mexico World Cup of Boxing just two weeks away. On August 11, the boxing special between top Filipino and Mexican boxers is set to explode at the Arco Arena in Sacramento.

Top boxing trainer, Freddie Roach of the Wildcard Gym said the Philippines teams training habits are great. According to him, all the Filipino fighters train over 110 percent so he has no worries over their upcoming bouts. He also describes them as very good, very disciplined, and very conditioned.


Gorres' Eye Injury

If eye specialist Dr. Steven Steinschriber finds that the tiny tear in Z Goress' retina has healed, then Gorres will go ahead with his IBF super flyweight eliminator against Gerson Guerrero in the Philippines-Mexico boxing World Cup.

It was discovered that Gorress had a tear in one of his retinasduring a routine medical checkup for the Filipino boxers deep in training for the classic showdown. Dr. Steinschriber subsequently performed laser surgery to correct the tear and said that depending on his checkup on August 6the flashy southpaw may still be able to fight.


Manny Pacquiao Update

Pacquiao has filed a P30-million libel case against sportswriter Nick Giongco of the Manila Bulletin. An article written by Giongco in the newspaper’s July 25 issue triggered the filing of the case in General Santos City.

The phrase, “he is reported to be a compulsive gambler and is known to bet hundreds of thousands in casinos, cockfighting and billiards” is just one of the items that caught the ire of the Pinoy boxing superstar.

Gorres may Still Fight on The "World Cup" of Boxing Despite Eye Injury

After a routine medical check up conducted on the seven Filipino boxers scheduled to battle Mexican opponents at the Arco Arena in the eagerly awaited “World Cup” of boxing, it was discovered that Z Gorres has a small tear in one of his retinas.

This discovery prompted the California Commission to withhold approval of the IBF super flyweight eliminator between Gorres and Gerson Guerrero. The current plans for the event are for to trim the number of fights in the World Cup to six and former IBF flyweight challenger Diosdado Gabi to replace Gorres.

Top Pinoy boxing trainer Edito “Ala” Villamor described Gorres as being depressed after respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer called up Gorres and broke the sad news to him. Since he was eagerly looking forward to the fight and a chance to help the Philippines win the World Cup, it was understandable that he is feeling depressed.

Fortunately, Z “The Dream” Gorres may still fight in the World Cup in Sacramento on August 11 according to the eye specialist who performed laser surgery to correct a tiny tear in his retina. However, indications are that the flashy southpaw will not fight.

The doctor said that the operation performed on Gorres “supposed to protect the eye and cure it in sixteen days but he would know if Gorres can fight on August 11 after checking him out on August 6.”

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"World Cup" of Boxing Updates

According to Ed de la Vega, the Pinoy boxers that will be competing on the "World Cup" of boxing are all doing well with their training. Top Filipino boxing trainer Edito Villamor said, They" are all where they should be in terms of their preparation and weight.”

The Pinoy boxers are feeling less homesick because the heat wave in the Los Angeles basin is creating a muggy and humid weather. According to de la Vega, Michael Domingo shy and reserved since he is a first timer at the Wildcard Gym. However, he is keeping his focus on getting his job done at the bags and during sparring. Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista on the other hand, is eagerly looking forward to his title fight. Let us hope that his enthusiasm will translate into a win against Ponce de Leon.

There are a few changes to thebouts of the "world Cup" of Boxing. First Bert Batawang of Cebu will now take on Gerardo Verde in a 12-round IBF junior flyweight eliminator. Batawang was originally scheduled to face Francisco Rosas but that has been changed. Verde sports a record of 15-4, with 11 KO's.

It was al;so announced that Diosdado 'Prince' Gabi will face Mexican Jose Angel 'Pepe' Beranza in an 8-round encounter.The hard-hitting Beranza has a record of 30 wins, 9 losses, 2 draws with 25 KO's. He decisioned Filipino Vernie Torres in his last fight.

More on Amonsot

Czar Amonsot will be released from the hospital later this day after a series of tests was conducted by specialists at the Valley Medical Center. Two CT Scans were conducted on Amonsot and one of those test showed that there was a little bit of bleeding.

This probably means that the Nevada State Athletic Commission won’t clear Amonsot to fight again. This is due to the stringent enforcement of regulations to protect fighters. Amonsot is currently being “indefinitely suspended” because of the medical findings and will not be licensed to fight again in Nevada.

However, the story does not end there. A few boxing writers have expressed their concern on the actions of Dr. David Watson, the ring side referee during the Katsidis-Amonsot fight. Richard Lois of Boxing confidential wrote about how Doctor David Watson set dangerous precedent in Katsidis’ bloody Saturday night victory and that improper boxing officials should be investigated.

Richard Lois has in fact taken it to another level by taking the liberty of starting an online petition asking the Nevada State Athletic Commission to investigate Watson's actions. If you want to support the petition, then just click here.

The brutal encounter between Amonsot and Katsidis has also triggered James Slater to compile a list of some of the worst cuts and facial wounds in recent boxing history in an article at Eastsideboxing.com. If you want to relive some of boxing's bloodiest moments, then feel free to read Mr. Slaters' Badges Of Honour article.

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.

Goodluck Czar!

WBO Asia Pacific lightweight champion Czar Amonsot will attempt to continue the Filipinos winning streak this upcoming weekend. He wants to add one more world title to the IBF crowns won by the classy Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire and the rugged Florante “The Little Pacquiao” Condes earlier this month.

However, Amonsot has to overcome the current WBO interim champion Michael Katsidis. Katsidis is regarded as one of the most exciting fighters today and a certified knockout artist who has an undefeated record of 22-0 with 20 KO’s. Furthermore, he has won thirteen fights in a row within the distance.

Despite his opponents fearsome record and reputation, Amonsot is very confident that fight fans can't ask for more from him during this fight. Amonsot has sparred more than sixty rounds and is in top condition. He also realizes that he can't afford to let his chance go by.

At the present, he weighs a very trim 134.6 lbs, a shade below the lightweight limit. this means that he is all set for the official weigh-in set tomorrow at the Mandalay Bay.

Well, there is nothing more we Pinoy boxing fans do but pray and hope for Amonsot's victory. We know that he will give it his best and showcase the courage and determination of Pinoy boxers.