ALA Boxing urged to speak up

There’s a call for ALA Boxing to stand and speak up on the case of top-ranked featherweight Mark Magsayo, who has been rendered idle for over a year due to a contractual dispute with the major boxing outfit from Cebu City.

The main problem, said a reliable source who preferred to remain anonymous, is the refusal of ALA Boxing president and chief executive officer Michael Aldeguer to answer calls from the Games and Amusements Board (GAB).

GAB has called at least twice, and was refused on both occasions.

It’s a pity, said our source, a veteran international matchmaker, stating that, were it the ALA Stable patriarch Antonio L.  Aldeguer still at the helm, there would’ve been no problem.

The source cited the case of former world champion Gerry Peñalosa, who was readily allowed to leave the ALA Stable to pursue a world crown under the Rex “Wakee” Salud Stable.

The source said the highly respected sportsman Tony Aldeguer is a perfect gentleman who always has the welfare of his boxers at heart.

So what happened?

“The problem is with the young ones at ALA Boxing now, they have different preferences,” the source added.

Tony Aldeguer left the affairs of the ALA Boxing Stable to his heirs, headed by Michael Aldeguer, at a point when it was already a recognized and respected international boxing outfit.

“You know, I’m no longer a spring chicken,” Tony Aldeguer told this reporter years back after he had transferred control and supervision of the boxing outfit to son Michael.

ALA Boxing has gone big, staging major cards in California, added to its big international promotions here at home, mainly in Cebu.

Anyway, Magsayo, after a sensational stretch of victories, fully caught the eyes of many fans with his dramatic win over Chris Avalos of California, a former world title challenger, in April 2016.

In that bout in Cebu, as noted by Philboxing.com founder and CEO Dong Secuya, Magsayo, a raw talent and willing target, got floored in the third round, but was readily back on his feet. What followed was a furious exchange, until Magsayo exploded and blazed Avalos with blinding combinations, thus forcing the referee to stop the bout in the sixth round after the towel was thrown in.

Surprisingly, what would follow was a very limited exposure for Magsayo. The young Aldeguer would explain that the big-punching talent had been sent out to learn deeper defensive basics.

When Magsayo was next heard of, he had gone to California and signed up with American manager Cameron Dunkin.

Magsayo would claim his contract with ALA Boxing had expired last May.

There came a court tussle after Michael Aldeguer insisted Magsayo still has a live five-year contract with them.

Magsayo, in the freezer for over a year, said he would be willing to fight in Manila or Cebu anytime.

“But we can’t do anything,” GAB chief Abraham Mitra said after the mysterious Michael Aldeguer clamp-up.

The ALA Boxing CEO should stand and speak up, no matter who gets hurt.