Michael Aldeguer: The future is now

Youthful ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer assumed the mantle of running the famed organization after his respected father and esteemed boxing patron Antonio “Tony” Aldeguer stepped aside, realizing that his son had the added dimension of being able to maximize the vision and the planning for what today has become the business of boxing.

While Michael initially appeared to feel the pressure of stepping into his illustrious father’s shoes, he has sooner than expected embraced the sport and what needs to be done to enhance the Philippines international position in boxing while strengthening its acceptance and impact, nationally.

In this regard ALA Promotions and Michael Aldeguer have found the perfect match in the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN headed by a fan of the sport and a gentleman who knows television inside out, Mr. Gabby Lopez and an able assistant who for years has been the remarkable voice of the network and the former vice president for Sports, Peter Musngi.

Together, they conceived of the “Pinoy Pride” series which has become the standard by which the TV coverage and promotion of boxing is measured by the millions of fans nationwide and abroad.

As ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN move forward to “Pinoy Pride XXIV” to be staged at the plush Solaire Resort Hotel & Casino on March 1, their confidence is anchored on the tremendous ratings nationwide generated by past Pinoy Pride presentations where national averages zoomed beyond a 22 percent mark and in some areas of the Visayas and Mindanao peaked at an incredible  35 to 38 percent.

Complementing the local boxing extravaganza is Top Rank Boxing which is in a partnership with ABS-CBN through undoubtedly the most astute promoter in the business, Bob Arum.

The fights of Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire have found a home on Channel 2 and are also telecast to large Filipino communities in the Middle East, Europe and Australia by the widely watched TFC or The Filipino Channel.

Given an added boost to the viewership numbers of TFC is the fact that Solar Sports, which has the rights to all the fights of Manny Pacquiao, has an on-going agreement with ABS-CBN that allows the network to telecast his fights “live” on The Filipino Channel.

It is against this encouraging backdrop that ALA Promotions and Michael Aldeguer, together with ABS-CBN, have widened their vision and broadened their horizons with ALA Gym setting up its own training facility and accommodations for its fighters  in San Diego, California, which has a huge Filipino population.

In a deliberate effort to match countries like Mexico, a hotbed of boxing, as well as Japan, ALA Promotions continues its quest to stage world title fights in the Philippines.

Realizing the need for reciprocity, Aldeguer told Yahoo Philippines he had “discussed a deal” with Fernando Beltran of Zanfer Promotions in Mexico in which WBO minimum weight champion Merlito “Tiger” Sabillo will defend his title against Francis Rodriguez on March 22 with Beltran “being open to mandatory challenger Moises Fuentes coming to the Philippines for a rematch against WBO light flyweight champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes possibly on May 3 at the Mall of Asia.

Aldeguer said they are “looking into some details but we hope to lock in the deal although you know dealing with Zanfer, it takes time.”

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Nietes, the longest reigning Filipino world champion, had a difficult time against Fuentes when he salvaged a majority draw at the jampacked Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu on March 2, 2013 before coming back with a vengeance to batter former WBC Silver champion Sammy Gutierrez into submission in a 3rd round TKO at the famed Araneta Coliseum. In the same card,  Sabillo eked out a twelve-round split decision over mandatory challenger, undefeated Carlos Buitrago of Nicaragua.

While the Waterfront has been a popular venue for ALA Promotions fight cards their desire to further enhance the ambiance of title fights has been clearly shown by the fact that the street fighter Sabillo’s first title defense against Colombia’s Jorlie Estrada was staged at the classy Solaire Resort Hotel and Casino in the presence of a number of big-name stars from ABS-CBN adding glitz and glamor to the evening.

Nietes’ title defense against Felipe Salguero which the Filipino won by a twelve-round unanimous decision was held at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World.    

When Aldeguer and ABS-CBN branded their blockbuster March 1 card at Solaire as “The Future is Now” they were looking at two of their most promising prospects – undefeated sweet-punching, 22-year-old Genesis “Azukal” Servania (23-0, 9 KO’s), the reigning WBO Intercontinental super bantamweight champion, and undefeated 25 year old  WBO Intercontinental super flyweight champion “King Arthur” Villanueva (24-0, 14 KO’s ).

Servania returned recently from a hectic training schedule where he sparred at the Wild Card Gym of Freddie Roach in San Diego and several gyms in Tijuana including those of Erik “El Terrible” Morales and Antonio Margarito.

Aldeguer told Yahoo Philippines that  Servania “has had some great sparring” including what trainer Edito “Ala” Villamor said was “a  furious, toe-to-toe exchange with WBA world champion Scott  Quigg.”

Aldeguer said Servania “looks confident” even as he explained that their fighters “need to see what’s out there, face different sparring partners and see different gyms. That’s what they need to expose them and help them get bigger fights in the future.”

He described Servania as “one of our best prospects. He has the tools to be world champion but there are some things he has to learn which comes with maturity."

Michael conceded “it was a very tough decision” to match Servania against former world WBA super flyweight champion Alexander Munoz of Venezuela, who is an experienced ring warrior. He beat Japan’s Katsushige Kawashina to win the title and had some terrific fights against such greats as Cristian Mijares, Koki Kameda and Leo Santa Cruz.

Aldefuer said “we are looking  forward to this fight. When we decided on Munoz that was the only way to find out where he’s at and whether he  (Servania) is ready to fight for a world title or whether he needs more time.”

“It’s the biggest test for Arthur Villanueva and it’s a fight we also wanted to see” said Aldeguer on the clash of Villanueva with Mexico’s Juan Hernandez whose victims include Denver Cuello and Moises Fuentes.

As Aldeguer correctly stated: “When we decided on the opponents we knew it would be big fights for both of them. That’s the only way to find out. Hopefully it will answer some questions if these guys are ready” because as we’ve said the future is now.”