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ALA Promotions: A Dream Fulfilled


ALA Promotions youthful president Michael Aldeguer who inherited the mantle of his iconic father, Antonio “Tony” Aldeguer, a passionate supporter of boxing, is slowly seeing his dream being fulfilled.

Aldeguer told Yahoo Philippines that over the past five years he had dreamed of making the Philippines the epicenter of boxing in the region, just like in billiards some years ago when some of the biggest tournaments in the world were staged in Manila.

The ALA Promotions top executive told us “We thought why go to Las Vegas when we can bring world class fights into our country.”

He noted that we have “the great eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao, we have the 2012 “Fighter of the Year” and four division world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire, we have WBO light flyweight champion Donnie Nietes and WBO world minimum weight champion Merlito “Tiger” Sabillo, all world class fighters.” Add to the roster IBF light flyweight champion Johnreil Casimero.

In Michael’s mind the recurring question was “why not brig world class events here when we have world class fighters. That started it all.”

Aldeguer concedes it could not have been done without the unstinted support of the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN and its top honcho Gabby Lopez and former Vice President for Sports and now a consultant, Peter Musngi.

He said he wanted  to thank ABS-CBN with whom ALA Promotions works so well together.



Aldeguer noted that the Saturday night fight card at the classy Solaire Resort and Casino, which marks the anniversary of Solaire, will kick off a series of exciting entertainment spectacles at the venue but that they chose Pinoy Pride XXIV as the anchor of the celebration was in itself a significant recognition of the following boxing enjoys in the country and the passion of fight fans.

It will be the second big fight card at the plush venue by Manila Bay after unbeaten WBO minimum weight champion Merlito “Tiger” Sabillo (23-0-1, 12 KO’s) successfully defended his title with a crushing one-punch knockout against Jorle Estrada of Colombia on July 13 last year.

To Aldeguer “this is what its all about – bringing big name opponents here.”

He recalled that ALA Promotions had previously brought in such marquee champions as Vic Darchiyan of Australia and Fernando “Cochulito” Montiel of Mexico who both fought Z “The Dream” Gorres. On Saturday they have former world champion Alexander Munoz of Venezuela facing undefeated WBO Intercontinental  super bantamweight champion Genesis “Azukal” Servania, the promising 22 year old with a record of 23 wins including nine by knockout.



The 35 year old Munoz who has an impressive knockout ratio of 28 KOs in 36 wins with five losses, all against some of the finest world champions such as Martin Castillo, Cristian Mijares, Koki Kameda, and the bantamweight star Leo Santa Cruz had confidently predicted he would  win by knockout and claimed the power in both hands will get the job done.

To Aldeguer “these are the kind of fighters we want to bring in and these are the type of fights we want to stage in the next few years.”

He said “If Mexico can do it, Japan can do it why cant we. Definitely we can.”

Future fight cards will see one of the longest-reigning world champions Donnie Nietes (32-1-4, 18 KOs)  defend his title in what promises to be an epic rematch against mandatory challenger Moises Fuentes (19-1-1, 10 KOs)  of Mexico who gave Nietes all he could handle in retaining his title with a majority draw. In their first fight both American judges Adalaide Byrd and Pat Russel turned in identical 114-114 scorecards while Filipino judge Atty. Danrex Tapdasan saw Nietes winning 115-113.

Nietes, in one of his most impressive performances retained his crown with a merciless battering of former WBC Silver champion Sammy Gutierrez before referee Celestino Ruiz stepped in and called a halt at 2:58 of the third round after the Mexican had been sent crashing to the canvas a number of times in the fight at the Araneta Coliseum on November 30, 2013.



He disclosed that they originally planned the Nietes-Fuentes rematch on May 3 but since Floyd Mayweather, Jr., will defend his crown against Marcos Maidana of Argentina on that date, they moved the fight back by one week to May 10.

ALA Promotions is working with the famed Araneta Coliseum, the “Mecca of Philippine Sports and Entertainment” and the Mall of Asia Arena in an effort to stage the title rematch at one of these two venues.

Fuentes is returning to Manila after Aldeguer and Zanfer Promotions of Fernando Beltran “agreed in principle to do the fight here” while in a sort of exchange deal Sabillo will be fighting in Mexico on March 22nd against Francisco Rodriguez.

Aldeguer recalled, “we had an agreement whereby Nietes was supposed to fight in Mexico and they wanted Sabillo. We also felt that Sabillo wanted to make a fight abroad because since he won the title in Colombia he wants to prove it was not a fluke. This will be a big test for him.”

Should Nietes retain his title he will make history by surpassing the record of the late world junior lightweight champion Gabriel “Flash” Elorde who held the title for almost seven-and-a-half years.
“What better fight in seeking a chance to be at par with the great “Flash” Elorde than against the mandatory challenger Fuentes” said Aldeguer even as he conceded “this will be a very tough fight.”

To him “this is what Pinoy Pride is all about. We want to bring great fights for the fans  which is what they are looking for and we are very excited to bring bigger fights this year” including a card in Dubai on June 20 at the World Trade Center featuring light welterweight. Jason Pagara who will have a non title fight in his hometown in Maasin as a tune-up to get ready for his big fight in Dubai.”



Spicing up the Nietes-Fuentes undercard will be Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista and former world flyweight title challenger Milan Melindo.

It is a recognized fact that Bautista is still a charismatic fighter and he comes to fight and in the eyes of Michael Aldeguer “he is one of the most entertaining fighters in the Philippines. He wants to come back and we have never seen him more focused. This will be entertainment for the fans. That’s what Boom Boom is all about.”