Blog Posts by Ronnie Nathanielsz

The House of Boxing in San Diego. (Photo courtesy of Ronnie Nathanielsz)

The highly successful and respected ALA Promotions whose partnership with the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN has resulted in establishing the “Pinoy Pride” series as the premier boxing show in the country, is set to invade the United States.

ALA Promotions’ youthful president Michael Aldeguer, who has assumed the mantle from his distinguished father and boxing patron Antonio “Tony” Aldeguer, told Yahoo Philippines that ALA Promotions had received a license from the California State Athletic Commission after submitting the necessary documents and following a meeting in Sacramento with Executive Director Andy Foster, the 34-year-old former professional mixed martial artist who also was into promoting boxing for some time.

Aldeguer said it was “a good discussion and Mr. Foster was excited about our vision” and said he had heard of ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN and was thankful for considering California because of “its huge Filipino community.”

Aldeguer said he had decided to establish

Marco Demecillo a.ka. Marco Singwancha (Photo courtesy of Ronnie Nathanielsz)

During a television pre-production meeting for the ABS-CBN coverage of the highly successful boxing series “Pinoy Pride” on its 20th edition at the at the Southeastern Philippines Gym in Davao City on Saturday, April 20, the official program showed that undefeated Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation super flyweight champion would face top contender listed as Marco Singwancha.

We promptly took issue and made it clear that as a TV commentator we would refuse to refer to the challenger by any name other than his real name, which was Marco Demecillo.

We learned that Demecillo, a fighter belonging to the stable of Rex “Wakee” Salud, had allegedly agreed to use the name Singwancha for a price.

How much we do not know and didn’t even care to find out.

We learned from ALA Promotions that Salud had pleaded with them to use the name Singwancha on the fight card because of a commitment he had made to Thai businessman Naris Singwancha.

To us, his commitment meant nothing. We cast it aside.

If all

Brandon Rios will be Manny Pacquiao's next opponent. (Getty Images)

Inexplicably turned down by the two men who beat him in his last two fights despite making them attractive financial offers, Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao has turned to all-out action fighter Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios for his much-awaited return to the ring at the plush Cotai Arena at the sprawling Venetian Resort Hotel in Macau on November 24.

Pacquiao had longed to avenge his shocking 6^th round knockout at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand Garden Arena last December 8, and offered the Mexican a purse of $13 million. Timothy Bradley, who had earlier won a hugely controversial split decision over Pacquiao was offered a substantial $6 million purse for a rematch. Alas, Marquez and Bradley decided instead to face off against each other in a showdown that would net them much less money.

Marquez, whose nose was broken and his face bloodied, connected with one thunderous right hand with one second remaining in Round 6 to send Pacquiao crashing to the canvas, face down. He

Does it stop at four? For now, it does. (Getty Images)

Manny Pacquiao’s hopes for either a fifth fight with Mexican legend Juan Manuel Marquez or a rematch with Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley on his planned return to the ring in the second week of October have been dashed for the time being at least as Marquez has signed up to fight Bradley for the American’s welterweight title.

When Yahoo! Philippines called Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz for a reaction on the supposed done deal, he was surprised. He told us, “I spoke to Bob Arum at ten o’clock this morning and he never told me anything about a Marquez-Bradley fight being signed, sealed and delivered. “

At the same time Koncz revealed that he had been authorized by Pacquiao as early as last week to offer Marquez $13 million for a fifth fight and also relayed an offer of $6 million to the Bradley camp, both of which were coursed through Arum.

RELATED: Marquez to face Bradley in September - report

It’s hard to understand why both Marquez and Bradley rejected what obviously were excellent

Can Nonito Donaire reverse the trend and keep his belt? (Getty Images)

The question most Filipino fight fans are asking  is whether Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire can stem the tide after four successive painful losses suffered by eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao, WBO/WBA flyweight champion Brian Viloria, former WBC flyweight champion Sonny Boy Jaro and former champion Malcolm “Eagle Eye” Tunacao who was badly beaten in his bid to win a second world title by Japanese champion Shinsuke Yamanaka.

Donaire, the reigning WBO, Ring and WBC Diamond Belt super bantamweight champion certainly has the credentials to overcome the challenge of former Cuban two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux, whose lack of experience in pro boxing behind an 11-fight, 8-knockout record may not be enough to handle a fighter of the caliber of Donaire.

The Filipino Flash is ranked No. 5 in the prestigious Ring Magazine pound-for-pound rankings and was voted by the Boxing Writers Association of America as the “Fighter of the Year” along with similar

Brian Viloria connects with a right against Juan Francisco Estrada in their title bout last April 6 in Macau.

Former two-division, three time world champion Brian Viloria lost his WBO and WBA flyweight world titles in a gallant slam-bang battle with Mexican warrior Juan Francisco Estrada at the fabulous  Cotai Arena of the luxurious Venetian Resort Hotel in Macau, China late Saturday.

Estrada who amazingly appeared to get stronger as the fight wore on and continued to throw big shots until the end,  won a split decision which in itself appeared questionable in the face of Estrada’s relentless punching in the second half of the fight.

There were those who questioned judge Levi Martinez 115-113 scorecard in favor of Viloria as against the 116-111 card of Michael Pernick and 117-111 of Francisco Martinez.

ALSO READ: Pacquiao 'wants Macau fight'

When it was all over, the large crowd of Filipinos who, up to that point had cheered themselves hoarse following the smashing knockout victories of world No.1 ranked Milan Melindo from the famed ALA Promotions and the young Penalosa brothers, Dave and

Zou Shiming and wife Ying Ying arrive in Macau. (Photo by Chris Farina of Top Rank)

If credentials are anything to go by, then China’s popular flyweight boxing hero Zou Shiming is the real deal.

Zou makes his professional debut on a blockbuster Top Rank card at the luxurious Venetian in Macau on Saturday. The fight card will take place at the Cotai Indoor Arena, which has a seating capacity of 15,000 and has played host to major basketball, tennis and boxing events as well as concerts featuring such celebrities as Whitney Houston and Lady Gaga among others.

ALSO READ: Did Bob Arum's picture show his hand?

A two-time Olympic gold medalist and a three-time world champion, Zou makes his professional  debut in a four-round bout against  Mexico’s Eleazar Valenzuela who has a record of 2 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw with one win coming by way of knockout.

It isn’t impressive but it’s the first step on the road to what Top Rank promoter Bob Arum believes will be a world championship fight next year.

The most astute promoter in the business, Arum realized the incredible potential

Juan Manuel Marquez, Bob Arum and Timothy Bradley at the Rios-Alvarado fight last Saturday. (Chris Farina/Top Rank)

If we subscribe to the theory that a picture is worth a thousand words, then the photo of a smiling Top Rank promoter Bob Arum with Mexican legend Juan Manuel Marquez and Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley may have given substance to the notion that a single still image can send a message.

The picture, sent to us by prominent Top Rank photographer Chris Farina, was taken at ringside of the rematch between Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios and Mike Alvarado in which the Colorado native “Mile High” Alvarado avenged his previous 7th round TKO and carved out a well-deserved unanimous decision at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Sunday, Manila Time.

ALSO READ: Bradley survives late knockdown to win thrilling fight

Indeed that message received a boost when Marquez told boxingscene.com that he would make a final decision on his career and the opponent of his choice ‘In two weeks.”
Marquez spiced it up when he said he would “love to fight Bradley” and pursue his quest for a title in a fifth