N.Cotabato's Asenjo loses to Garcia

This is indeed a heart-breaking result but we hope the North Cotabato fighter will be able to rebound in his next bout.

Asenjo arrives in Mexico City

Asenjo shadow boxes in a Frisco hotel gym.

Mexico City - World Boxing Organization (WBO) Number 1 Miniflyweight contender Rommel Asenjo arrived in Mexico City April 27 (28 in the Philippines) for his first crack at the World Title in the 105-lb. division against newly-installed champion Raul "Rayito" Garcia on Saturday, April 30.

 

It was a long trip for Team Asenjo which included former North Cotabato governor Manny Pinol who is Asenjo's manager, ALA Boxing vice president Dennis Canete and trainer Bruce Lerio of the Braveheart Boxing Club. After the 18-hour trip from Cebu City to San Francisco, the team had to spend the night in Daly City before taking another 6-hour plane ride to Mexico City.

 

In spite of the long and rigorous trip, the 21-year-old Asenjo appeared in high spirits and even warmed up in the gymnasium of the La Quinta Hotel in San Francisco after which he tipped the scale at 107 lbs., only two pounds over the weight limit.

 

Tomorrow, Thursday (Friday in Manila) Asenjo will meet the defending champion face to face in a public preview. The fight will be carried live in Mexico by Fox Sports but will not be shown in the Philippines where the left-handed power puncher is hardly known to boxing fans.

 

Rayito Garcia, who has 29 wins against 1 loss, was the WBO Interim Miniflyweight titlist but was installed recently as full-fledged champion after long-time titleholder Donnie Nietes of the Philippines relinquished the title as he moved up to the junior flyweight division.

 

Before Nietes relinquished the title, he and his manager Michael Aldeguer made sure that another Filipino fighter will fight for the title against Garcia.

 

Garcia once held the IBF version of the title which he won from Filipino Florante Condes but lost it to South African Nkosathi Joyi in his first title defense.

 

Against Asenjo (20 wins, 16 KOs, 2 losses), Garcia has the advantage fighting before a hometown crowd, age and experience.

 

But Asenjo, whose father is a farm tenant, is bouyed by an intense desire to lift his family out of poverty and by the dream of making history as the first boxer from North Cotabato to win a regular world boxing title.

 

Last Sunday, churchgoers in the town of Pigcawayan led by ardent Asenjo supporters former board member Rolly Dillera, Councilor Greggy Saljay III, Engr. Mila Casis and Bobong Estaris, offered prayers for Asenjo.PR

Team Asenjo at the Tribu Restaurant in Daly City. From left, Asenjo, Dennis Maniwang, Manny Pinol, Bruce Lerio and Dennis Canete.

NORTH COTABATO's ASENJO FIGHTS MEXICO's GARCIA FOR WBO TITLE

Kidapawan City, North Cotabato, March 11 - World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental Miniflyweight Champion Rommel Asenjo, 21, ranked Number 2 in the world by the WBO, takes a crack at the world championship when he fights Interim Champion Mexican Raul "Rayito" Garcia April 30 in Mexico for the title to be vacated by the current champion Donnie Nietes of the Philippines.

The championship fight, arranged by ALA Boxing Promotions of Cebu City which now promotes Asenjo and two other Braveheart boxers from North Cotabato, was set following the decision of Nietes to move up to the junior flyweight division for a possible match up against reigning WBO champion Giovanni Segura.

Asenjo, a farmer's son from the frontier town of Pigcawayan, North Cotabato, will be the first Braveheart boxer to get a crack at a legitimate world boxing title. In June last year, another Braveheart boxer, Edrin Dapudong of M'lang, stunned Mexican boxing by scoring a first round knockout of Jesus Jimenez to win the World Boxing Council Flyweight Silver title. He lost the title, considered as a junior belt,  in his first defense in September of last year.

Called "Little Assassin" by his handlers for his ruthless fighting style where he stalks his opponent inside the ring, Asenjo has a record of 20 wins with 16 knockouts and only two losses, both by decision.

Lively and friendly outside the ring, Asenjo is described by Braveheart chief trainer Noli Pinol as a "sadist" when he wears the gloves because he loves to punish his opponents. He got into trouble several times and slapped with point deductions for hitting his opponent while already down and even after the bell ending the round has sounded.

"I have warned him about this and he has been told never to do that in a world championship fight because he could get disqualified," said former North Cotabato governor Manny Pinol who owns the Braveheart Boxing Club along with his 10 brothers. 

Asenjo is one of the eight boxers now managed by the former governor who are all products of a grassroots boxing program started in the province in 1998 which included the hiring of a Cuban boxing coach, Honorato Espinosa, in 2005.

The championship fight on April 30 will be Asenjo's toughest assignment in his young boxing career thus far. 

Garcia, nicknamed "Rayito" and one of two boxing brothers from Mexico, is a 28-year-old veteran and former world champion himself who won the title from Filipino Florante Condes. He defended the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title four times before losing it to a South African fighter Nkosinathi Joyi but came back to win the WBO Interim title or the junior championship.

A southpaw like Asenjo, Garcia holds an impressive record of 29 wins with 17 knockouts, one loss and one draw. He also has the advantage of fighting in his own territory.

"Asenjo will have to win this fight by knockout," Pinol said adding that the North Cotabato fighter is capable of scoring a knockout given his tremendous punching power.

The Filipino Oriental champion will prepare for the world championship fight in the Braveheart Boxing Farm at the foot of Mt. Apo in this city. He and his team are expected to fly to Mexico a few days before the fight.(pr)

Asenjo Destroys Tejares in 1st But 17-year-old Lumacad Steals Show

Magpet, North Cotabato, Aug. 11 - World Boxing Organization Miniflyweight Oriental Champion Rommel "Little Assassin" Asenjo demolished flyweight Rodel Tejares in less than one round of a scheduled 10-round bout Wednesday but it was the 17-year-old former national youth amateur champion Joemer Lumacad who became the star of the night as he displayed exceptional boxing talent and brilliantly dominated his opponent to win his first four-round bout by a shut-out.

 

Asenjo, 21, who is being groomed for a big fight abroad by international promoter Sampson Lewkowicz, displayed tremendous power as he floored the bigger Tejares twice in the first round leading to the stoppage of the fight with just a little over two minutes into the round.

 

The lefthanded WBO Oriental champion, whose dream is to fight legendary Puerto Rican junior flyweight champion Ivan Calderon, stalked Tejares right at the start of the first round and unleashed his vaunted left cross to score the first knockdown and finished off his opponent with relentless punching. It was Tejares' second loss to Asenjo. Their first bout staged two years ago when Asenjo was just a 6-round fighter also ended in a knockout in the second round.

 

While Asenjo showed his devastating power, the star of the show Wednesday night was 5' 6" tall Lumacad, who at 17 needed parental consent to appear in his first professional fight.

 

Displaying natural boxing talent, Lumacad slipped through the punches of Bukidnon's Ronel Brosas, who himself displayed decent boxing skills, and totally dominated the fight from start to finish.

 

The boxing show performed by the young Lumacad was so impressive that the crowd which was silenced in awe for four rounds broke into a thunderous applause after the match.

 

"That boy will be a world champion," said veteran boxing manager Bernard Yu of Agusan del Sur, manager of Brosas.

 

The Pinol brothers led by retired police colonel Patricio, mayors Efren and Joselito and Board Member Socrates were all pleased by the performance of the young Lumacad, the newest protege and a product of the amateur boxing program of former governor Manny Pinol.

 

Magpet town Mayor Efren Pinol who staged "Tomorrow's Champions" tournament Wednesday said Lumacad who weighed 110 lbs. but is expected to grow to be a lightweight was so natural in his movements inside the ring that he made the difficult sport of boxing so easy.

 

Lumacad will fight his second 4-round bout on August 29.

 

The complete results:

- Rommel Asenjo won over Rodel Tejares, KO 1st round 108 lbs.10 rds.

- Gary Lumacad won over Roel Garcia, KO 4th, 108 lbs., 6 rds.

- Rogelio Canete won over Marvin Camungay, TKO 1st rd., 115 lbs., 4 rds.

- Louie Yunting vs. Rodel Sungkit 4 rds 118 lbs. ended in No Decision after the 3rd

- Ronnie Apilado won over Efren Fernandez, TKO 4th, 4 rds., 122 lbs.

- Ronron Dalot won over Phil Francis Abanilla, SD, 4 rds., 112 lbs.

- Joemer Lumacad won over Ronel Bosas, UD, 4 rds., 110 lbs.

 

"Tomorrow's Champions" in Magpet was sponsored by Mayor Efren Pinol in observance of the foundation week of the municipality and supported by 

Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. of , San Miguel Corporation.(pr)

YOUNG BRAVEHEART PROSPECTS FIGHT IN 'TOMORROW'S CHAMPIONS' AUG. 11

The search for future world boxing champions continue on Aug. 11 when seven young boys from the Braveheart Boxing Club of North Cotabato, owned and managed by former governor Manny Pinol, will figure in "Tomorrow's Champions" boxing tournament staged in celebration of the foundation day of the town of Magpet in North Cotabato.

World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental Miniflyweight Champion Rommel "Little Assassin" Asenjo, 21, (19 wins, 16 KOs, 2 losses) takes on flyweight Rodel Tejares in a 10-round non-title bout which is expected to be a tune up bout for the North Cotabato fighter in preparation for a big fight being arranged by international promoter Sampson Lewkowicz and his local counterpart, Samson Gelloani.

Asenjo fought and defeated Tejares by knockout three years ago but the latter has moved up in weight and is now campaigning in the flyweight division.

"This will be a different story now because they will fight in a heavier weight category of 110 lbs. and that's a new territory for Asenjo," Manny Pinol said.

While Asenjo maybe the star of the night, boxing fans and observers will actually be watching out for six young fighters from the Braveheart Boxing Club, including former national youth champion Joemer Lumacad, 17, who will be fighting his first professional bout.

Joemer, 5' 6" tall and considered by Pinol as a top prospect, will be going up against another first timer from Bukidnon Province, Ronel Bosa, in four rounds in a 110-lb. fight.

The young Lumacad, who needed a parental consent to be able to take the fight on Tuesday, was a national youth champion in Bacolod City three years ago and is expected to grow up to the lightweight division.

In his last amateur fight in M'lang last week, he impressed no less than WBO vice president Leon Panoncillo and international matchmaker Samson Gelloani when he stopped his opponent in the first round.

Other young boys seeing action in the Aug. 11 card are: 

- Gary Lumacad versus Roel Garcia, 6 rounds, 108 lbs.
- Rolando Canete versus Marwin Kamungay, 4 rds., 115 lbs.
- Louie Yunting versus Rodel Sungkit, 4 rds., 118 lbs.
- Ronnie Apilado versus Jun Fernandez, 4 rds, 122 lbs.
- Phil Francis Abanilla versus Ronron Dalot. 4 rds., 112 lbs.

The Magpet Tomorrow's Champions event is sponsored by Magpet Mayor Efren Pinol.(pr)

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.

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.