Unfazed by accident, ‘Bazooka’ marries his fiancée

NOT even the toughest pre-wedding jitters could stop this couple from getting married.

Two days before their scheduled civil wedding, Cebuano boxer AJ ‘Bazooka’ Banal and his fiancée figured in a motorcycle accident in downtown Cebu City.

But last Thursday afternoon with their bruises still  noticeable, Banal and  Junbeth Tude Carabaña faced Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama in his office to exchange vows.

“A lot of people say that if you’re engaged, there will be accidents and that the wedding will not push through. But still it eventually happened and I’m very happy,” 30-year-old Junbeth told Cebu Daily News  a few minutes after their wedding in Cebuano.

The couple had just come from the city hall to set an appointment with Mayor Rama for their civil wedding when they figured in an accident at the intersection of Colon and D. Jakosalem Streets.

“We were on our way to the tailor to fit  our wedding attire when the accident happened,” said the 24-year-old Banal.

During the wedding, the groom managed to hide his bruises as he was wearing a black coat and tie. The bruises on his bride, however, were evident on her shoulder and elbow.

“The accident didn’t affect our plans. But I was frightened at first, I thought we were already dead,” said Junbeth as she remembered what she felt after the accident.

The couple had been together for seven years and  are blessed with two daughters. They live in barangay Ermita where they were neighbors.

Born Alex John Banal, the boxer said his career was the reason it took them this long to tie the knot.

Banal started in amateur fights before he began his professional career in 2005.

He has since won 29 fights, lost two and drew 1.

He once held the WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight championship title, interim WBA World super flyweight title and the WBO Asia Pacific Youth super flyweight diadem. /Correspondent Jose Santino Bunachita