No less than the guy who once held the world title that AJ “Bazooka” Banal failed to win Saturday night urged the Filipino pug not to lose heart and instead to “come back stronger.”
“Manny’s (Pacquiao) lost; I’ve lost, anyone can lose,” twitted reigning WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. hours after Banal lost his second shot at a world title to Thailand’s Pungluang Sor Singyu (See main story). “But only the strong can come back. Hoping you come back stronger, AJ.”
The 29-year-old Donaire, who recently retained his world crown by scoring a ninth-round TKO of former WBC champion Toshiaki Nishioka of Japan in Carson, California, left his spot in the commentators’ box to console Banal in the dugout.
“Losing hurts. It hurts more in boxing because you put your body out there and you push it to the extreme,” added Donaire.
Donaire (30-1-0 with 19 KOs) moved up to the heavier super bantam class where he has already won three times so far.
He was beaten right on his second professional fight by Rosendo Sanchez by unanimous decision on March 10, 2001.
Pacquiao (54-4-2 with 38 KOs) has been knocked out twice in his career—by Medgoen Singsurat of Thailand on Sept. 17, 1999 and by countryman Rustico Torrecampo on Feb. 9, 1996.
But like the Filipino Flash, pundits are convinced that Banal can still bounce back and chase his dreams.