Friday, October 10, 2008 Bangoyan eyes boxing glory By Charles Raymond A. Maxey
FOUR years ago, Balweg Bangoyan engaged in street brawls in his hometown Jose Abad Santos in Davao del Sur, a drunken youngster whose life was headed nowhere.
On Friday, Bangoyan, at 21 years old and using his fists the proper way, will have a shot at boxing glory and, more importantly, guarantee a bright future for himself and his family with a victory in the biggest fight of his young career.
Bangoyan, called the "Davao Hitman," seeks to dethrone World Boxing Council (WBC) international super bantameight king Sande Otieno of Kenya in a 12-round championship clash at the Rizal Memorial Colleges (RMC) Gym.
And all Bangoyan needs is one big punch to do that to completely change his life for the better.
"I'm strong. I know I'm strong and If I hit him, I have the chance of winning this fight," Bangoyan told Sun.Star Davao in the vernacular.
There's no turning back for the young Bangoyan, who was in the streets of Barangay Caburan in Jose Abad Santos just several years back breaking faces and bashing heads with other drunken street brawlers.
"I remember those days, I was only 17 then. I was really drinking a lot and I had fights with other kids. I have no fear. I hit them and sometimes I also got hit," Bangoyan said.
Looking back at his past, Bangoyan could not hide his dismay of what had happened to his life and he regretted everything he did as a youngster.
"I know my folly and I regretted doing those things," said Bangoyan, who was discovered during a local boxing promotion organized by Jose Abad Santos Mayor Alexander Wangkay.
He said it was Mayor Wangkay who took him in and gave him a chance to redeem himself and live a new life by venturing into boxing.
For a boxer who packs power in both fists, it did not take long for Bangoyan to establish a name for himself in the local boxing scene. He won his first 121 fights, eight of those coming by way of knockouts.
In only in his 13th fight agaist Otieno, Bangoyan has all the chance to grab the Kenyan's WBC international super bantamweught belt.
If he comes out triumphant, Bangoyan will not only wrest the WBC crown, he will also open doors for more lucrative offers abroad and perhaps could be fighting under the bright lights of Las Vegas in his next assignment.
This is not to mention that Bangoyan now has a bright future ahead of him, a complete reversal from his grisly street-fighting days.
