ALA Promotions set to invade U.S. boxing market
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 “a base in San Diego and has started looking for space to set up an ALA Gym” even as he mentioned that he was searching for a home for the fighters who will be based in San Diego and train there.
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He conceded that the growing roster of promising fighters under the ALA Promotions banner “need to get exposure” and since San Diego is not too far from Tijuana they could get a number of Mexican fighters to spar with the ALA boys.
For the time being the boxers who will be sent to the US to train include WBO International light welterweight champion Jason Pagara following his impressive defense of his title against talented and tough Mexican Aaron “The Jewel” Herrera on “Pinoy Pride XX” at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino last Saturday, WBO flyweight mandatory challenger Milan Melindo who battles Mexican Juan Francisco Estrada for the WBO and WBA belts at the Venetian Resort Hotel in Macau on July 27, former WBO bantamweight title challenger AJ ‘Bazooka” Banal and undefeated WBO Asia Pacific super bantamweight champion Genesis “Azukal” Servania.
Aldeguer was pleased with Pagara’s showing. “Jason showed he has potential and since there are no quality sparring partners at 140 pounds here (in Cebu) and he went beyond our expectations,” said Aldeguer said. “We have to send him to the US to train.” He also mentioned that Servania was “too good and no one can spar with him.”
The response of fight fans to the Pagara-Herrera fight card titled “Laban Kung Laban” was also better than expected with a large number of foreigners watching the fights for the first time which accounted for a “late surge” in ticket sales.
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Since the setting up of a gym is somewhat of a long term project the ALA boxers will train at the well-known House of Boxing gym which is owned by the well known Carlos Barragan, Sr.
The ALA Promotions president also mentioned the fact that there were “a lot of Fil-Am fighters in California who were keen on being handled by ALA Promotions which would bring in a new dimension to its growing portfolio of fighters.”
Aldeguer told us they had planned their initial promotion in San Diego where there is a large Filipino community for July 27 but it had to be called off because of the Top Rank card on the same date in Macau.
As a result Aldeguer informed Yahoo! Philippines that “the Middle East is now a priority because of the demand” especially from overseas Filipinos who watch the fights on TFC. He mentioned Abu Dhabi and Dubai as possible venues for a fight card in late September although he did say “nothing is final.”
In the interim ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN plan to have newly crowned WBO minimumweight champion Merlito Sabillo, who is undefeated with a record of 21-0 with 11 knockouts, face No.6 ranked Jorle Estrada of Colombia in a voluntary defense in July and are working on a possible breakthrough fight card at the plush, new Solaire Resort and Casino in the Entertainment City along Manila Bay.
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Sabillo won the WBO Interim title with a stunning 8th round TKO over heavily favored Luis De La Rosa before the Colombian’s hometown fans and was later elevated to full champion after Moises Fuentes relinquished his title to move up to light flyweight because he struggled to make the 105 pound limit.
Fuentes failed to win the lightflyweight title from Donnie “Ahas” Nietes, who hung on with a majority draw decision, and has been guaranteed a mandatory rematch sometime in November provided he wins his upcoming tune-up fight, while Nietes will also make a voluntary defense of his crown sometime in August.
Fuentes had asked for an immediate rematch after his loss to Nietes but Aldeguer said they couldn’t accede to the request because Nietes suffered a nasty cut during their fight which took some time to heal. Chances are the rematch may be held in Mexico.
The one thing that is final is that LA Promotions which has carved a name for itself both in the Philippines and internationally will invade the US and demonstrate not just Pinoy pride but also Pinoy power.
Editor's note: The blogger's views do not represent Yahoo! Southeast Asia's position on the topic or issue being discussed in this post.
