Undefeated AJ ?Bazooka? Banal ( 17-0-1, 14 KO's) who earned the No.1 spot in the International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior bantamweight ratings after his impressive fourth round TKO over previously unbeaten Latino champion Caril "El Raton" Herrera (21-0-1, 13 KO's) of Uruguay, will have to wait for a title shot.
IBF Championship Committee chairman Lindsey Tucker informed Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that reigning champion Dimitri Kirilov of Russia must first fight former flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan in a mandatory before facing the deadly Filipino southpaw.
Tucker said ?a purse bid has been scheduled next week and the winner of the fight (Kirilov vs Darchinyan) will have nine months before he faces Banal.?
Darchinyan, the cocky Australian who suffered a stunning one-punch knockout at the hands of Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire last July 7 and fought Z ?The Dream? Gorres to a controversial draw in an IBF eliminator in Cebu City earned the mandatory shot at Kirilov despite the draw because he was rated higher than Gorres.
Respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer of the famed ALA Gym said he was ?in no hurry? to have Banal fight for the title and said he was interested in having the teenaged southpaw ?break into the No.1 spot? and had even asked OPBF president Frank Quill to help improve Banal?s rating in the WBC where he was No. 13 in the most recent ratings while Caril Herrera whom he annihilated was No. 2.
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