AJ Banal keeps title by technical decision

Lito Tecson, CDN

LAPU-LAPU City—A bloodied AJ “Bazooka” Banal triumphed by technical decision over a cocky Tyson Cave Saturday night to retain his World Boxing Organization Asia Pacific bantamweight crown at the Hoops Dome here.

An  accidental headbutt opened a nasty 3-cm cut on the corner of Banal’s right eyebrow in the fifth round, paving the way for the stoppage of the Pinoy Pride 7: Battle of Mactan main event three rounds later.

Ring physician Dr. Jose Unabia asked referee Tony Pesons to stop the bout with 2:32 gone in the eighth round as blood continued to trickle like a dripping faucet from Banal’s wound.

Banal, who picked up his 25th victory against a lone loss and a draw, led on all scorecards of three judges (79-73, 78-74, 78-74) when the bout was halted.

Though Cave succeeded to evade most of Banal’s punches, the Canadian’s lack of offense, plus his comical, unorthodox and dirty antics, irked the crowd of over 6,000 who booed the visiting fighter when the lopsided verdict was announced.

In response, somebody from Cave’s corner even had the gall to throw one of his gloves to the lower box before the Canadian group headed to the dugout in a huff.

The fight started  with Cave grandstanding and showing off jerky movements while taunting Banal to try to hit him.

An exasperated Banal managed to sneak in a few solid punches in the first, third and fifth rounds, but they were never enough to put the 29-year-old Cave, who fell to 15-2, in serious trouble.

While Banal failed to make the fleet-footed Cave his 20th knockout victim, his fellow ALA Gym stalwart Michael Domingo and Lorenzo Villanueva succeeded in stopping Indonesians Richard Samosir and Eddy Camaro, respectively.

Domingo, who improved to 41-15-5 with 19 knockouts, punished Samosir thoroughly in their 121-pound tussle that the Indonesian champion refused to answer the bell after the sixth round, infuriating his corner who left him behind in the ring.

Displaying his vaunted punching power, the unbeaten Villanueva stopped Camaro with thunderous lefts to the body and head in the first round of their 127-pound battle.

The 24-year-old Villanueva, pride of the Braveheart Stable of former North Cotabato Gov. Manny Pinol, posted his 20th knockout out of 21 wins

Tagbilaran City’s Romeo Jakosalem earlier crowned himself the new Philippine junior welterweight champion when he stopped Bukidnon City’s Eusebio Baluarte with 2:53 gone in the first round.

Other Pinoy Pride 7 bouts, organized by ALA Promotions in tandem with ABS-CBN Sports, saw Maasin City’s Albert Pagara knock out Jaime Alin Jr., who nearly fell out of the ring, with only 1:57 gone in the first round; and Tagbilaran City’s Jomar Cordonillo win by unanimous decision over Bukidnon City’s Jonathan Refugio.

In a pair of four-rounders, clownish Jojo Entor eked out a majority decision over Cris Leon while Mandaue City’s Ryan Maano took only 47 seconds to stop Japanese Yoshinubo Arai.

Elated by the huge turnout, ALA Promotions president and CEO Michael Aldeguer and vice president Dennis Canete said they intend to stage another event at the newly built, air-conditioned facility.

Among those who graced Pinoy Pride 7 were former WBO minimum weight titlist Donnie “Ahas” Nietes, former world contender AZ Gorres, boxer Milan Melindo, Games and Amusements Board chair Juan Ramon Guanson, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza and WBO Asia-Pacific chief Leon Panoncillo.