Philippine television network giant ABS CBN has started laying the groundwork for the biggest fight card matching the brightest young Filipino boxing talents from the ALA Boxing Gym of Cebu City against the Braveheart Boxing Club (BBC) of North Cotabato in an event called "The Great Match Ups: Road to the World Cup."
ABS CBN Vice President Peter Musngi, in a meeting with North Cotabato Vice Governor and BBC president Manny Pinol last Monday, proposed matching the big names of ALA Boxing Gym against the little-known boxers from Mindanao as an elimination event to choose the country's possible participants in the next World Cup against Mexico expected to be staged this year.
In the proposed match ups, Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista (ALA Gym) will go up against WBO Interim Oriental bantamweight champion Rolando "Smooth Operator" Magbanua (BBC) at 122 lbs., Z "The Dream" Gorres (ALAGym) fights WBO Asia Pacific Bantamweight Champion Jundy "Pretty Boy" Maraon at 118 lbs., AJ "Bazooka" Banal (ALA Gym) meets WBO ASPAC Youth bantamweight champion Glenn "The Rock" Porras (BBC), Milan Melindo (ALA Gym) versus newly-crowned WBO Junior Flyweight Oriental Champion Edrin "The Sting" Dapudong (BBC) and WBO miniflyweight champion Donnie "Ahas" Nietes (ALA Gym) against BBC's Rommel "Little Assassin" Asenjo.
"This will be the biggest match up of Filipino boxing talents and ABS CBN would like to be part of it," Musngi said adding that he will propose the idea, which has been accepted by Vice Gov. Pinol, to ALA Gym President Antonio Aldeguer.
Vice Gov. Pinol said the idea of BBC fighters going up against the more popular ALA Gym fighters "offers an exciting opportunity for the Mindanao boys to prove their worth."
"We certainly welcome the idea. In fact, it has been broached to us long before and while I personally am not hot to the idea of pitting a Filipino against another Filipino in boxing, making this event as the elimination for the big event like the World Cup is simply irresistible," said Vice Gov. Pinol.
The Braveheart Boxing Club, jointly owned by the Pinol brothers of North Cotabato, started only 6 years ago. Built on the foundation established by Cuban Coach Honorato Espinosa who stayed in North Cotabato for 18 months, BBC's coaching staff led by chief trainer Noli Pinol, Vice Gov. Pinol's younger brother, is now beefed up by the presence of Nonito Donaire Sr., father and estranged trainer of world flyweight champion Nonito Jr. As of this date, the club already has three WBO regional champions and is hoping to produce its first world champion this year.
"The boys are ripe. They are ready for the big time," said Vice Gov. Pinol.
The five fighters being proposed to go up against are BBC's top prospects for world championships. Magbanua, 23, is undefeated in 15 fights with 10 KOs; Maraon, 24, is also undefeated with 13 wins (10 KOs) and 1 draw; Porras, 23, has 21 wins (17 KOs) against 3 losses; Dapudong, 23, has 20 wins (16 KOs) and 2 losses; while Asenjo, 19, holds a record of 13 wins (11 KOs) and 2 losses.
Maraon will defend his title against Tanzania's Anthony Mathias while Asenjo will go up against another Tanzanian for the vacant WBO Minimumweight Oriental title on May 23 in Ozamis City.
"I hope ABS CBN will be able to pull this one through. It's an event that we do not want to miss. In as far as Braveheart Boxing Club is concerned, it's a Go for us. The ball is in the court of ALA Gym," Vice Gov. Pinol said
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