The 23 year old Cebuano boxer AJ “ bazooka” Banal secured chances for a world title fight after his unanimous decision win over the Indonesian boxer Ruben Manakane in an eight round bout last Saturday night at Dumaguete City Quadrangle.
The fight serves as a tune-up fight for the Cebuano boxer before a world title fight late this year against rated 2 fighters Thai Puanglang Sor Singyu, for the vacant World Boxing Oranization bantamweight crown.
AJ “bazooka” Banal improved his boxing record into 28-1-1 with 20 kncokouts. His latest fight performance indicates his readiness for a bigger fight particularly a world title fight, his promoters admired how he handled Indonesian fighter though he was not abled to end the fight with TKO but he knocked down the Indonesian twice in early rounds.
“It was a shutout. Manakane was knocked down twice in the third round,” ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer to Sunstar Cebu. “He did what he needed to do. The plan was for AJ not to go for knockout as he needed to prepare him for the world title fight this year. His last fight was a first-round knockout last March so he needed a few rounds.”
