Braveheart's Villanueva, Magbanua Invited To Train in U.S. with Former Valero Mentor

ROLANDO MAGBANUA

LORENZO VILLANUEVA

World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental Featherweight champion Lorenzo "Thunderbolt" Villanueva and former WBO Interim Aspac Bantamweight champion Rolando "Smooth Operator" Magbanua have been invited to train in the United States by legandary trainer Robert Alcazar in Maywood, California.

Jose Castillo, who managed former lightweight champion Edwin Valero and who arranged the training program, has officially asked the Consular Office of the American Embassy in Manila to allow Villanueva, Magbanua, chief trainer Noli Pinol and assistant trainer Bruce Lerio to travel to the US for a 2-month training program under Alcazar.

Villanueva, 24, a southpaw, is undefeated in his professional career with 20 wins and 19 KOs. He is scheduled to appear in the undercard of a Donnie Nietes show July 16 as part of ALA Boxing Promotions Pinoy Pride Series.

Magbanua, 25, who has a record of 19 wins, 14 KOs with 2 losses on points, is on a comeback trail after losing to compatriot Jason Igera, He is scheduled to fight in Gen. Santos City June 11.

Alcazar reportedly told Castillo that Villanueva has the potential of becoming another world champion from the Philippines because of his punching power and capacity to take a punch.

Even with his awesome pro record, Villanueva is still considered raw and needs refinement in his movements inside the ring, especially his defense.

Magbanua, on the other hand, hopes to be able to benefit from the training program through the improvement of his stamina and endurance which are his weak points.

In the US, Villanueva, Magbanua and two trainers are expected to stay with Braveheart Boxing Club cutman Jeff de Guzman in Glendale, California, about 30 minutes away from the Maywood Gym where they will train.

The team is tentatively scheduled to leave for the US after the July 16 fight of Villanueva.  [CARLOS BAUTISTA]

Year of the Bravehearts

Rommel "Little Assassin" Asenjo

Rolando "Smooth Operator" Magbanua

Lorenzo "Thunberbolt" Villanueva

Jundy "Pretty Boy" Maraon

Edrin "The Sting" Dapudong

Prepare your 2010 boxing calendar this early. Make sure it is adorned with a Big Red Heart pierced by a flash of lightning.

If Lady Luck smiles, 2010 could be the year of the Braveheart Boys of North Cotabato, a province in the Southern Philippines which has a long history of conflict and violence but which has stood out as one of the most outstanding local government units in the country.

With five regional champions in its folds, Braveheart Boxing Club could finally realize the dream of its patron, North Cotabato Vice Governor Manny Pinol to produce world boxing champions.

Braveheart boxers now own five World Boxing Organization (WBO) regional titles. Tiny Rommel "Little Assassin" Asenjo, 20, (14 wins, 2 losses, 12 KOs) holds the WBO Oriental Miniflyweight title; Edrin "The Sting" Dapudong, 23, (21 wins, 2 losses, 13 KOs) is the WBO Oriental Junior Flyweight titlist; Jundy "Pretty Boy" Maraon, 24, (14 wins, 11 KOs, 1 draw) is the WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight champion; Rolando "Smooth Operator" Magbanua, 24, (17 wins, 12 KOs) is the WBO Interim Oriental bantamweight champion; and Lorenzo "Thunberbolt" Villanueva, 23, (15 wins, 15 KOs, 1ND), raw and awkward but tough as a nail recently stopped Asian Games gold medallist Eric Canoy to win the WBO Oriental featherweight crown.

"It could happen in 2010. A few of the boys are already ripe for the world championships," said Pinol, who as Governor of the province from 1998 to 2007 embarked on a grassroots boxing program that staged matches among barefoot boys during village and town fiestas and selected from among them those who had the prospect of becoming champions.

In 2005, with the help of the Cuban ambassador to the Philippines and the Philippine Sports Commission under Butch Ramirez, then governor Pinol travelled to Cuba with bosom friend journalist Recah Trinidad and brought home to North Cotabato jaded Cuban trainer Honorato Espinosa who gave his country its first Olympic gold medal in Munich.

Espinosa stayed in North Cotabato for 18 months and trained local trainors including Vice Gov. Pinol's younger brother, Noli, who is now Braveheart's chief trainer. The Cuban influence is very visible in the fighting style of the Braveheart boxers who are aggressive and excellent body punchers.

At least four of these boys are already ready for the big time, said Vice Gov. Pinol.

"Magbanua, Maraon, Dapudong and Asenjo could already stand up to the best in the world in their division. I will certainly entertain the idea of pitting Magbanua in the junior featherweight division. Maraon could go up against the winner of the Fernando Montiel-Eric Morel bout, Dapudong could take on Ivan Calderon while Asenjo could go up against Donnie Nietes," said Vice Gov. Pinol.

"Of course, there is no guarantee that our boys will prevail over these popular and outstanding opponents but they certainly will give boxing fans something to remember," he said.

Vice Gov. Pinol said the next group of fighters who are still being honed and fine-tuned include Lorenzo Villanueva, undefeated featherweight Reynaldo Belandres and undefeated flyweight Jermie Jabel.

"About 30 more boys as young as 14 are now training as amateurs and waiting for their turn to be given a chance to prove their worth," he said.

"Those who do not have the skills and the heart are simply told to go back to school," Vice Gov. Pinol said adding that the selection of good boxers is just as tough as separating the grain from the chaff.

With a sustained effort and well-planned boxing program, Filipino boxing fans could watch out for the Braveheart Boys in 2010 and the years after that.

Magbanua takes big break vs. Thai on Nov.30 in Cebu

Former national amateur boxer Rolando Magbanua takes the big break of his young career when he meets the veteran Ratanachai Sor Vorapin in a 10-round non-title bout in Cebu City Nov. 30.

The fight, staged by Cebu City promoter Sammy Gelloani, is part of Vorapin's comeback following a knockout loss suffered in the hands of Michael Domingo in his defense of his World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental bantamweight title earlier this year.

But while the Thai former world superbantamweight champion holds a distinct advantage because of his vast experience with almost 80 professional fights, at 31, he will be 8 years older than the righthanded Magbanua who hails from Pigcawayan town in North Cotabato and one of the promising boxers of the Braveheart Boxing Club owned by Vice Gov. Manny Pinol.

Magbanua, who holds the monicker "Smooth Operator" because of his fluid boxing style fine-tuned by Cuban coach Honorato Espinosa, stands 5' 5" and holds a clean record of 11 wins in 11 pro fights with 7 knockouts.

In his last fight, it took Magbanua only a 1:30 minutes in the first round to dispose of Thai Petchamchai Sithsoei pummelling the foreign fighter with tremendous body punches before connecting with a crisp uppercut that sent the latter crashing through the ropes.

The fight with Vorapin will be Magbanua's biggest bout since turning pro three years ago. He recently dropped out of college to concentrate on his boxing career.

The fight with Vorapin was initially offered by Gelloani to jr. featherweight Reynaldo Belandres (9 wins, 7 KOs, 1 draw) but he could not go down to 120 lbs. which is the weight limit Vorapin would like to fight in.

Belandres, 23, a legitimate jr. featherweight called "Boy of Steel," is also set to appear in another bout in the undercard of the Vorapin-Magbanua bout.

Belandres' last fight against veteran Jun Eraham for the Phil. Boxing Federation (PBF) jr. featherweight title ended in a draw after he suffered a cut in the 4th round.

Pigcawayan fighters dominate Thai opponents

Pigcawayan, North Cotabato - Junior featherweight Rolando Magbanua and mini-flyweight Rommel Asenjo more than lived up to their townmates' expectations after scoring impressive victories against their Thai opponents in this frontier town of about 60,000 people Sunday, October 19.



Magbanua, known as "The Smooth Operator," easily disposed of Yodchamchai Sithsoie with successive body punches followed by a mean uppercut which brought the Thai fighter down to the canvass at 1:29 in the 1st round of their 10-round non-title match.



It took a few minutes before Yodchamchai could recover from the effect of Magbanua's powerful punches.



The former national amateur team member, who comes from Poblacion 2 in this town, improved his still unblemished professional record to 11 wins and 7 knockouts with his TKO victory over Yodchamchai.



Asenjo meanwhile scored a knockout against the much taller Denchailek Sithsoie at 2:50 in the 5th round of their own 10-round non-title fight.



The southpaw Asenjo, who is from Bolacaon 2 here, showed the crowd early in the fight why he is called "Little Assassin" when he brought Denchailek down with a punch to the Thai's jaw 1 minute into the first round.



With his win, Asenjo avenged his controversial points loss to Denchailek's stablemate in Thailand in February this year.



He now has a 9-2 win-loss record with 7 knockouts.



In the undercard matches, top Philippine bantamweight contender Glenn Porras scored a knockout over Roldan Malinao of Butuan City at 1:25 in the 1st round of their 10-round fight.



Light-flyweight Jermie Jabel, another Pigcawayan native, also wowed his cheering townmates who filled the municipal gymnasium to the rafters with his 1st round knockout win over Jimboy Jacinto of Bislig City in their 6-round match.



Rey Juntilla, another very promising bantamweight of the Braveheart Boxing Club, completely dominated Bernard Amper of J. Elorde Stable of Manila in their 6-round bout to score a unanimous decision in his favor.



The professional boxing event dubbed "Bakbakan sa Pigcawayan" was part of the fiesta celebration of the town which only recently was one of the areas affected by the conflict between the government and a rebel group.


In his message during the short opening program North Cotabato Vice Gov. Manny Piñol said the event is a way of showing to everybody that life is back to normal in North Cotabato.

Pigcawayan Mayor Herminio Roquero meanwhile thanked Vice Gov. Piñol, who also manages the Braveheart Boxing Club, for giving the people of Pigcawayan the opportunity to see the two outstanding fighters in action against foreign opponents.

Magbanua, Asenjo face Thais on Oct.19 in Pigcawayan

Pigcawayan, North Cotabato - This frontier town about 60,000 people, scene of many conflicts in the past, will experience a different kind of encounter -- a more exciting and enjoyable spectacle -- when two of its young boxers go up against opponents from Thailand at the municipal gymnasium here on Oct. 19.

Former national amateur team member Rolando Magbanua, a junior featherweight who has remained undefeated in a young professional career with 10 wins and 6 knockouts in his record, and the flashy and exciting Rommel Asenjo, former Palarong Pambansa gold medallist, will showcase their talents before their townmates on the even of Pigcawayan's town fiesta.

Magbanua, 22, who stopped veteran international campaigner Ruben Santillanosa in his last outing, will be going up against Thailand's Yodchamchai Sithsoei in a 10-round non-title main event of a card sponsored by the Association of Barangay Chairmen of Pigcawayan and the Sangguniang Kabataan of Barangay Capayuran.

Magbanua, called "Smooth Operator" because of his artful movements inside the ring, is one of the top prospects of the Braveheart Boxing Club of North Cotabato for an international title.

Asenjo, 19, on the other hand hopes to avenge his points loss in Thailand earlier this year as he takes on another Thai fighter Denchailek Sithsoei in another 10-round miniflyweight encounter.

Asenjo, a southpaw who is called "Little Assassin", holds a record of 8 wins with 6 knockouts as against 2 losses, both coming by decision in very close fights. One of that loss is a controversial points loss to a stablemate of Denchailek in February this year in Thailand.

North Cotabato Vice Governor Manny Pinol, who manages both Magbanua and Asenjo, said that fights of the two Pigcawayan boxers before the hometown crowd is part of the fiesta celebration of the town which only recently was one of the areas affected by the conflict between the government and a rebel group.

"This is our way of sowing to everybody that life is back to normal in North Cotabato," the vice governor said.

Pigcawayan Mayor Herminio Roquero said the whole town is excited over the prospect of seeing the two outstanding fighters get into action against foreign opponents.

In the undercard, top Philippine bantamweight contender Glenn Porras who is preparing for a crack at the Philippine title takes on a local opponent for 10 rounds.

At least 6 more professional fights and a long list of amateur bouts will be featured during the event promoted by Fortstone Sports Promotions of Board Member Soc Pinol.