Concepcion upsets Banal!!!!

Photo by Dong Secuya /Philboxing

After an slow start, Rafael Concepcion came back strong in the late rounds to shock the crowd by stopping AJ Banal on the 10 round. The favored Banal was visibly exhausted due to the body works of Concepcion.

It was a seesaw battle until Concepcion's body work took effect on the late rounds. Banal was dropped on the 10 round and wasn't able to beat the count.

Below is the fight video - Round 9 and 10:

HEAD TO HEAD: BANAL - CONCEPCION

According to the head to head stats, Banal clearly has the edge on all departments (expect the average rounds). Banal has high KO rate at 77.78% while Concepcion has only 46.15% KO rate. AJ Banal has the ring experience advantage, he already fought a total of 81 rounds compare to 58 rounds of Concepcion. Concepcion was knockdown 4 times by his past opponents while Banal's chin remain superb so far without any signs of being hurt or close of being dropped.

Banal obviously fought the better opponents with a total of 190-59 win-losses record. Both fighters almost equal on the average rounds per fight, which i will predict that this fight won't past round 5.


Everything is in favor of AJ Banal, I don't see any reason why Banal won't win this fight. This is the first fight of Rafael Concepcion outside his country. He just arrived last Monday and I expect his body hasn't adjusted yet.

Two fighters who wants to slug it out in the middle of the ring. Enjoy the fireworks while it last.

Cebu Weigh In: AJ Banal 115 – Rafael Concepcion 115

Photo by Dong Secuya /Philboxing

Cebu City - Pinoy prospect AJ “Bazooka” Banal came in at the exact Superfly limit of 115 lbs, while Rafael “El Torito” Concepcion came up at 116 lbs on his first attempt on the scale. Concepcion shredded off the extra pound after two hours of walking around the mall where the weigh in was held.

The Banal-Conception bout will be for the WBA Interim Superflyweight title. The fight is suppose to be for the vacant regular WBA title which was vacated by Cristian Mijares after he was elevated to WBA Super Champion. It was changed on the last minute by WBA in favor of the Japanese, Nobuo Nashiro and Kohei Kono which they will fight on September 15 in Japan. The winner of the Banal-Concepcion bout will fight the winner of the Nashiro-Kono for the true WBA Champion at 115.

Complete undercard weights:

James Bacon - 127 1/2 lbs. vs Skak Max 126 1/2 lbs.
Jun Intor - 119 lbs. vs Roldan Malinao 120 1/4 lbs.
Robert Allanic - 125 lbs (second try) vs Leonardo Doronio - 124 lbs.
Hilario Canillas - 122 1/2 lbs vs Ramil Cabalan - 120 lbs.

Latest rankings of Superflyweight division

World Boxing Councing (WBC)

Champion: Christian Mijares
1. Jorge Arce
2. Devid Lookmahanak
3. Kohei Kono
4. Evans Mbamba
5. AJ Banal
6. Chatchai Sasakul
7. Masibulele Makepula
8. Nobuo Nashiro
9. Everardo Morales
10. Rafael Concepcion
11. Z. Gorres
12. Daigo Nakahiro
13. Richard Olisa
14. Tomas Rojas
15. Caril Herrera

World Boxing Association (WBA)
Champion: Christian Mijares
1. Nobou Nashiro
2. Kohei Kono
3. AJ Banal
4. Duangpetch Saengmorakot
5. Roberto Vasquez
6. Rafael Concepcion
7. Timor Shailezov
8. Pramunsak Posuwa
9. Jose Lopez
10. Katsushige Kawashima
11. Roberto Sosa
12. Evans Mbamba
13. Jose Cabrera
14. Cecilio Santos
15. Caril Herrera

International Boxing Federation (IBF)
Champion: Dimitri Kirillov
1. AJ Banal
2. NOT RATED
3. Vic Darchinian
4. Z. Gorres
5. Pramunsak Posuwan
6. Jorge Arce
7. Chatchai Sasakul
8. Raul Martinez
9. Roberto Vasquez
10. Cecilio Santos
11. Jose Lopez
12.Diosado Gabi
13. Carril Herrera
14. Evans Mabamba
15. Simphiwe Nongqayi

World Boxing Organization (WBO)
ChampionFernando Montiel
1. Pramansak Phosawan
2. AJ Banal
3. Vic Darchinyan
4. Jose Lopez
5. Z Gorres
6. Kahramon Arzykulov
7. Nobuo Nashiro
8. Raul Martinez
9. Duangpetch Saengmorakot
10. Luis Maldonado
11. Victor Proa
12.Juan Mercedes
13. Marat Mazimbaev
14. Luis Melendez
15. Cecilio Santos


The Ring Magazine
Champion: Vacant
1. CRISTIAN MIJARES
2. FERNANDO MONTIEL
3. ALEXANDER MUNOZ
4. NOBUO NASHIRO
5. JORGE ARCE
6. DIMITRI KIRILOV
7. JOSE NAVARRO
8. Z GORRES
9. VIC DARCHINYAN
10. A.J. BANAL

AJ Banal vs Rafael Concepcion for WBA belt!

Philippine's best prospect AJ Banal will fight for the vacant WBA Superflyweight belt against Rafael Concepcion of Panama. The WBA Superflyweight belt became vacant when Mijares was elevated to Super Champion after his unification win against Alexander Muñoz.



Rafael Conception a southpaw, has record of 10-2 with 6 KOs. He avenged his two losses in a spectacular stoppage. He stopped Jean Piero Perez (12-2-0) in the 3rd after getting dropped twice in the second round last March 27, 2008.

Banal-Conception title fight will on July 26, 2008 in Cebu City, Philippines.

AJ Banal stops Caril Herrera in four!

AJ Banal scored a fourth round stoppage against Caril Herrera of Uruguay on their IBF Eliminator fight. AJ Banal landed a counter left to the jaw that makes Herrera out on feet, the referee steps in and stop the fight before Banal could follow up a barrage of heavy punches.

It was an entertaining fight. Both fighters trading shots in the middle of ring. At the end of the exchange, Banal's power and his smart tactical fight made the difference. As the round progress AJ Banal clearly dominates Herrera by mixing his aggression with counter punches.






*Image courtesy of Dong Secuya/Philboxing.com

AJ Banal - Caril Herrera weigh in

Manila - Pinoy prospect AJ Banal(16-0 13KOs) and Uruguay's Caril Herrera (21-0 13KOs) both weigh in at exactly 115 lbs for their IBF #1 eliminator fight tomorrow in Araneta Coliseum.

AJ Banal is considered the pinoy best prospect by boxing experts, will have the toughest fight on his career when he step up the ring against Caril Herrera, a straight forward all out brawler. Fight fans should expect fireworks, its gonna be quick and entertaining fight.

*image courtesy of Philboxing.com/Dr. Ed dela Vega

Banal-Herrera bout rescheduled to April 6

After some conflicts in boxing schedules and promotions, the anticipated fight between Pinoy boxing prospect AJ "Bazooka" Banal and Uruguay's popular prospect Caril "El Raton" Herrera will be moved to April 6.


The fight will be an undercard of Gerry Peñalosa's first title defense of his WBO 118 lbs belt against old foe Sor Vorapin of Thailand. It will take place in Araneta Coliseum and will be televised by ABS-CBN Sports.

*Random thoughts
I've read in the internet that the Banal-Herrera fight will be an IBF eliminator. I don't really understand why this an eliminator fight, Darchinyan / Gorres has the right to fight IBF Superfly champ Kirilov of Russia.

Battle of the undefeated 3: AJ Banal vs Caril Herrera

AJ Banal will face top rated WBC #5 Superfly and WBC Latino Superfly champ, Caril "El Raton" Herrera of Montevideo, Uruguay according to a reliable source. Herrera also a southpaw has undefeated record of 21-0-0 with 13 KO's will be the third undefeated prospect that AJ Banal will face. First it was Ali Rochmad (13-0-0), then Sing Carryboy (11-0-0) both of them didn't reach to the final bell. This bout will be an undercard of Gerry Peñalosa's (52-6-2) first title defense of his WBO bantamweight belt against Ratanachai Sor Vorapin (48-9-2) this March 2, 2oo8 in Araneta Coliseum, Manila.

AJ Banal breaks top 10 rankings

After an impressive year last 2007, 6 total fights with 5 brutal KOs, Banal’s hard work paid off. The latest rankings in all boxing governing bodies show AJ Banal breaks 10 rankings except for WBC.



WBA
Alexander Munoz
1.Martín Castillo
2. Nobou Nashiro
3. Vic Darchinyan
4. Kohei Kono
5. Duangpetch Saengmorakot
6. Alex John Banal
7.Katsushige Kawashima
8. Caril Herrera
9. Timor Shailezov
10. Pramunsak Posuwa


IBF
Dimitri Kirilov
1 Not Rated
2 Not Rated
3 Martin Castillo
4 Pramunsak Posuwan
5 Vic Darchinian
6 Z. Gorres
7 Jorge Arce
8 Jose Navarro
9 Diosado Gabi
10 Alex John Banal


WBO
Fernando Montiel
1 Pramansak Phosawan
2 Z Gorres
3 Martin Castillo
4 Kahramon Arzykulov
5 Diosado Gabi
6 Vic Darchinyan
7 Juan Mercedes
8 Alex John Banal
9 Raul Martinez
10 Marat Mazimbaev


*image courtesy of Philboxing.com