By Ronnie Nathanielsz
WBO Oriental bantamweight champion Michael Domingo’s scheduled fight against Nestor Rocha at the Morongo Casino & Spa in Cabazon, California on November 22 (Manila Time) has been called off.
Domingo who trained at the Mayweather Gym in Las Vegas along with WBO. No. 1 ranked super bantamweight Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista was found to have Hepatitis B dashing all hopes for a big win and a possible world title fight down the road.
It was heartbreaking news both for Domingo and boxing patron Tony Aldeguer who informed insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports after getting confirmation from his son Michael Aldeguer who is with the ALA fighters in the US.
Aldeguer said it was obvious that he contracted Hepatitis B only recently because he was thoroughly tested prior to his WBO Oriental title fight against former world champion Ratanachai Sor Vorapin last September 14.
Aldeguer said doctors who conducted the physical examination of Domingo asked him to come back some time after getting treatment for the Hepatitis which they said can be cured.
Trainer Freddie Roach as well as Golden Boy Promotions vice president and international matchmaker Eric Gomez had great hopes for Domingo with Roach expressing confidence that the quiet, soft-spoken and likeable Filipino would eventually become a world champion.
In an overseas telephone conversation with insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports, Michael Aldeguer said that Domingo“ is devastated. It’s a shocking thing and we tried to have another test and we are still waiting for the results” which reportedly didn’t look good because the California Commission was “very strict.”
Aldeguer said it was a pity since Domingo “trained so hard for this fight. Sayang talaga.” He said they “never expected it because there was nothing discovered” when he fought Vorapin.
The young Aldeguer said he had “confirmed the results three times with them (The California Commission) and they said we ran it down again and it’s the same thing.” However, they informed Aldeguer they were prepared to take another blood test if he wished and while the Hepatitis A came out negative the Hepatitis B was “delayed again so maybe they found something.”
Aldeguer said the problem they now face is that Domingo’s records in California which meant “we will have to test him again if he fights here in the US.” He said he was told the doctors that “it can be cured but it will take a while.” Aldeguer said he planned to get Domingo checked again when he returns to the Philippines and take it from there.
