TAGBILARAN CITY — AJ “Bazooka” Banal treated the Boholanos to an impressive knockout in his last visit to Bohol.
He plans on repeating the feat against Big Yoo in their World Boxing Organization Asia-Pacific bantamweight title bout tonight at the Carlos P. Garcia Sports Complex.
“I’m in good condition. I’ll try my best to knock him out,” Banal told Sun.Star Cebu in an interview yesterday.
In the 21-year-old Banal’s last fight in Bohol, he scored a remarkable fourth round knockout over Indonesian Nouldy Manakane at the Island City Mall.
The South Korea-based Japanese Yoo easily made weight yesterday and tipped the scales at 117 ¾ pounds, while Banal was a quarter of a pound over the 118-pound weight limit.
He made the weight after his third try.
Banal is 21-1-1 with 17 knockouts and is undefeated in Bohol in seven fights, winning six of those with knockouts. On the other hand, the 21-year-old Yoo is 16-2 with 11 knockouts.
In the main supporting bout, the 18-year-old phenom Jason Pagara (18-1, 10 KOs) will have his hands full as he takes on the taller Kim Young Bin (10-1, 7 KOs).
Bin has a huge height and reach advantage over Pagara. Bin is listed at 5’10,” while Pagara is 5’8”. However, Pagara did well in his last fight against a taller fighter, the 5’10” Hero Katili, whom he knocked out in the third round last year.