Bangoyan Looking To Reclaim Pacquiao's Old WBC Title

By Rey Danseco

DAVAO CITY – Filipino challenger Balweg Bangoyan aims to bring back the World Boxing Council (WBC) International super bantamweight title that Manny Pacquiao held seven years ago.

Bangoyan takes on southpaw champion Sande Otieno of Kenya in the main event of “Ring War in Davao” card at the Rizal Memorial College gym, where Pacquiao once defended his IBF super bantamweight title.

“I know  there are ways to knockout him out,”said Bangoyan, 21-year old son of a member of Civil Security Unit of Jose Abad Santos in Davao del Sur and a Filipina-Japanese housewife.

 “I trained hard for this fight, I don’t want to frustrate you,” added Bangoyan, who tipped the scale exact the limit of the division, 122-pound, at the official weigh in at Metro Lifestyle Fitness Center and Spa in front of Department of Education office.

To make the weight, Bangoyan (12-0, 8 KOs) needed to jog for an hour yesterday morning without the supervision of his trainers Vic Adriano or Roger Sumampong at the vicinity of Viajeros Inn about four hours before the 2pm weigh-in under the supervision of Games and Amusement Board ‘s boxing division chief Dr. Nasser Cruz, who also assigned by WBC International chairman Mauro Betti as the fight supervisor.

Otieno, 33, is also oozing with confidence of beating his hometown opponent.

“I trained for two months and I know I can beat him although I am not familiar with his style,” said Otieno, who sports 16-0 with 7 knockouts.

“I must knock him out because he’s from here and I don’t have countrymen in the panel of judges. So, I can say to Bangoyan ‘forget about the WBC belt, this is not yours, this is mine and I will come home to Kenya without this’,”said Otieno who will be assisted by his  brother-trainer Paul and their younger brod Nick Otieno, who will see action in the undercard.

Aside from his ambition of moving a bit closer towards taking WBC super bantamweight king Israel Vazquez of Mexico, Otieno motivates to win with the high expectation of his countrymen.

“There were (Kenyan) mediamen and fans who brought me and wish me luck at the airport before my flight going here and I promised them that I will not go back to Nairobi if I’ll lose this fight,” said Otieno, now ranked No. 11 by the WBC. “You may call it pressure or motivation for me to beat him.”

Otieno, who tipped the scale 121 lbs, wants to eploit his 2 /12 inches reach advantage over Bangoyan in the scheduled bout called “Ring War in Davao”, the first event of Mayor Alex Wangkay (aka Zander Khan), since promoting the same WBC International title bout between title holder Pacquiao and Bicol-native Australian challenger Arnel Barotillo in March 2000 at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

“My prediction, the fight will  be finished inside five rounds,” said Wangkay, who serves his third term as Mayor of Jose Abad Santos in Davao del Sur.

rated flyweight Rexon Flores takes on the other Otieno in scheduled 10-round non-title fight after the nine other pairs of bouts.

 The Elorde Boxing Tour will telecast the bout on tape in its regular program, 3-4pm over NBN Channel 4 every Saturday with this writer as host commentator. Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde Jr. served as matchmaker of the two clashes between Pinoys prospects and Kenyan imports.

Wangkay insisted that Otieno is tailor-made for Bangoyan. Adriano agreed and revealed that the foreigner will be caught by the trademark straight and hook combo of his ward.