ALA’s Boom

If Pinoy Pride 19 (highlighted by Boom Boom Bautista’s loss) happened a decade ago, Cebu Boxing would’ve still been in “mourning” today. If this were a decade ago, everything would’ve self-destructed with all stakeholders shaking their heads in disbelief and shock, not knowing what to do next. When one of your best crowd drawers loses in a fight that he’s expected to win, there really is nothing you can do but mourn, right? Well thank God this didn’t happen a decade ago.

 It may be tough to say, but Boom Boom’s loss is actually a boom for ALA Promotions and Philippine boxing. Even if Boom Boom lost his WBO International featherweight belt last Saturday to Jose Ramirez of Mexico, life will move on for everyone, including the young prospect from Candijay, Bohol. The Pinoy Pride series has gotten so big that Philippine boxing is surging forward, even if it has to do it without Bautista. This is ALA’s boom that is going nowhere else but up. Two days after Pinoy Pride 19, everything was already forgotten with the press conference to launch Pinoy Pride 20. Merlito Sabillo was also introduced as the regular WBO minimumweight champion, and another Cobra boxing card on May 4 was also announced. Boom Boom? We have other things to worry about now, don’t we? Just another day in the office for the hard working team at ALA Promotions.

Davao was another highlight that proves that Pinoy Pride is literally going places. The University of Southeastern Philippines Gym was packed with around 6,000-7,000 people (my personal guesstimate). The Davaoeño boxing fans were thirsty for action and action is what they got. They were also responsive and let the boxing world know that they’re legit boxing fans. It’s all about bringing your product to the market, and this is where ALA Promotions realizes that one has to get out of Cebu to build one’s brand further. Pinoy Pride is now a household name among the country’s sports fans. Some might even think it’s a Manila product with the way ABS-CBN promotes it in its TV plugs and commercials. With Manila, Bacolod, Bohol and Davao now in the list of venues for Pinoy Pride, it’s only a matter of time before it goes truly Appari to Jolo in scope. In Mindanao, the likes of Cagayan de Oro, General Santos and Zamboanga could be other stops, while the Luzon market is wide open. Having non-Cebu venues is also one way to show that there are many talented boxers elsewhere. Stealing the show in their own little way from the main event boxers were Davao City’s Moralde brothers John and Engelbert who put up impressive performances. I understand they’ll also fight under the ALA Promotions banner should they decide to stick it out as boxers. King Arthur Villanueva of Bago City defended his OPBF superflyweight title against Iligan’s Marco “Singwancha” Demecillo. Rocky Fuentes, who overcame a tough Mexican Juan Kantun, was the lone Cebuano in the card. This is no longer about Cebu Boxing. This is and has been a showcase for the country’s best. Pinoy Pride gyud.

We also need to realize that if ALA is to produce world champions, they’ll need a wide base of world title prospects from all sectors of the country. Let’s face it. Out of ten world champ prospects, only a few will make it. Unfortunately for Boom Boom and AJ Banal, they happen to be on the other side of the statistics chart opposite Donnie Nietes, Johnriel Casimero and Sabillo. That’s just the way it is. The most exciting and crowd drawing boxers aren’t guaranteed of becoming a world champions no matter how much hype ABS-CBN creates. At the end of the day, world titles are won in the ring, and not on TV. And so the search will go on with the succeeding Pinoy Pride cards. Milan Melindo (Cagayan de Oro) is next in line for a shot at a world title in July. There are reports that Top Rank is also interested in Genesis “Azukal” Servania (Bacolod). He is being given the chance to step up and shine. Sabillo (Bacolod) will have to defend his title within the time specified by the WBO. Jason Pagara (Cagayan de Oro) will be the main event at Pinoy Pride 20. Fuentes is just sitting around the corner waiting patiently for his shot at a world title. Villanueva’s impressive and clinical way of outboxing Demecillo Singwancha will surely have ALA’s managers thinking about the much needed next steps towards a possible world title. And the list goes on and on.

Looking back, the losses of the Pacman, Brian Viloria and Nonito Donaire were obviously tough to swallow for the Pinoy boxing fan. But we’ve moved on, haven’t’ we? On a lesser scale, we saw how a bazooka sputtered and a Boom Boom didn’t. But no worries, bottom line is that ALA Promotions is moving better than ever. In fact, it’s boombooming.

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Time-out: Learn basketball from the BEST. Enroll at the Milo-backed BEST Center basketball clinic; May 6-11 at the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu. For info: 0908-895-2933. >>> Happy birthday to Paula Margarita Navarro! >>> You can reach me at [email protected].