Sanman: Tension Builds up as Mananquil, Waminal Guarantee wins in “Road to Stardom”

The fight is still several weeks away but things have started heating up between the protagonists in the main supporting bout of the September 9 “Road to Stardom” fight card at the Polomolok Gym in Polomolok, South Cotabato.

The camp of Rhey Waminal of the famed ALA Boxing Gym in Cebu City fired the first shots when his trainer Michael Domingo described Ben Mananquil of the General Santos City-based Sanman Boxing Gym as an “easy target.”

“We have seen his style. He’s an easy target. Waminal has power and I have seen a lot of improvement from him in training,” said Domingo in a report by a local daily in Cebu City.

Asked what Waminal intends to do against Mananquil in their duel for the Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) Silver bantamweight title, Domingo replied: “Win by KO.”

For his part, Mananquil shrugged off Domingo’s statements, expressing confidence of emerging victorious.

“I don’t care what he and his trainers say. He said he will knock me out but during fight night, I’ll make sure I am not going to lose the fight,” said Mananquil.

Currently enjoying a five-fight winning streak, Waminal has 11 wins with six knockouts and with only one defeat.

Mananquil said he knows Waminal is a talented fighter but there is no doubt in his mind who is the better boxer.

“I respect him. He is a great boxer but I will make him look ordinary in our fight,” Mananaquil said.

“Every fight is important for me. But this is more important since it is for an OPBF title. He is a good boxer but I’ll make sure I will go home victorious,” added the 25-year-old Mananquil, who sports a 14W-1L-2D, 3KOs record.

Waminal coming from a very respectable gym is something that doesn’t bother Mananquil a bit.

“Why would that intimidate me? I am from a top gym as well. I will not push for a knockout but if there’s an opportunity, I will definitely go for it” added Mananquil.

To ensure a victory, Mananquil has been putting the needed work in the gym. He sparred for eight rounds last Friday and has been doing rounds of jogging in the mountains with his stablemates.

The Mananquil-Waminal duel will be the co-feature in the main event showdown between Jade Bornea (8W-0L-5KOs) and Thailander Jakkrawut Majoogoen (19W-1L, 11 KOs).

At stake in the Bornea-Majoogoen fight is the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Youth super flyweight title.