By Ronnie Nathanielsz

AJ Banal, fresh from a hard-fought, action-packed ring war with Japanese fighter Big Yoo who is managed by a Korean which explains his ring name, will headline another exciting fight card, to be staged by ALA Promotions in cooperation with the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN and the top KO Promotions outfit, in Dubai on October 29.

ALA Promotions patron Tony Aldeguer and his son Michael Aldeguer who is president indicated that they plan to give the southpaw Banal and even stiffer test,  possibly against a former world champion  and are considering Jose Luis Perez although an agreement hasn’t been inked as yet.

Meantime another blockbuster ALA Promotions  fight card in cooperation with ABS-CBN will be staged at the plush Pacific ballroom of the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu with world-ranked  Milan Melindo likely to face a fighter in the same makeup of Big Yoo who is actually a Japanese, Hayato Kimura, although he represents Korea in the ring.

Also on the card will be former world super bantamweight title challenger Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista (28-2, 21 KO’s)  who looked sharp and ready in a three-round exhibition bout before 30,000 fans at the president Carlos P. Garcia Sports Center in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, when he slugged it out with tough Fernando Otic.

Bautista will clash in a featherweight bout against Alejandro “Zorrito” Barrera, the tough 30 year old Mexican with a record of 20-3 with 13 knockouts who is coming off a ten round unanimous decision over Sergio Rivera who had earlier scored a majority decision over former world champion Cesar Soto. Barrera also won by a 3rd round TKO over Israel Ramirez on November 25, 2009.

Another fighter known for his aggressive, slam-bang style who will be featured on the card is southpaw Jimrex “The Executioner” Jaca who is coming off back-to-back stoppages. The 27 year old Jaca hammered James Kimori into submission in four rounds last May 23, 2010 after earlier scoring a 5th round knockout over Ramdhan Weriu on January 23, 2010.

Making a welcome return  will be former IBF minimum weight champion Florante “The Little Pacquiao” Condes who won the world title with a unanimous twelve round decision over Muhammad Rachman of Indonesia in Jakarta on July 7, 2007  but lost the title in a somewhat controversial split decision to Mexican Raul “Rayito” Garcia on June 12, 2008.

Condes will face durable Indonesian Sofyan “The Cobra” Effendi (10-8-2 with 8 knockouts in an eight round bout. Condes who lost in an IBF eliminator in South Africa to Nkosinathi Joyi in his last fight  has a record of 23-5-1 with 20 knockouts and is determined to regain his world title.