BIG-TIME BOXING RETURNS TO ARANETA COLISEUM

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Big-time boxing reminiscent of the glory days of the 1960?s and 70?s returns to the Araneta Coliseum, the acknowledged ?Mecca? of Philippine sports and entertainment when WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa (52-6-2, 35 ?s) defends his title against former champion Ratanachai Sor Vorapin (72-9, 48 KO?s) in a blockbuster fight card on April 6.

It will be the first big fight card in which the renowned Golden Boy Promotions of Oscar De La Hoya teams up with ALA Promotions and the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN to stage four exciting title fights with the Penalosa mandatory title defense as the main event.

Titled ?Invasion: Philippines vs the World? the fight card will showcase some of the most promising young fighters in the country and provide an impetus to boxing which has benefited immeasurably from the exploits of Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao.

The formal signing of the agreement between Golden Boy Promotions David Itskowitch and ABS-CBN vice president for sports Peter Musngi at the plush Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas with Penalosa himself and Sugar Shane Mosley present at the affair provided an insight into the quality of the entire event.

Penalosa who has been training for almost two months at Freddie Roach's Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles is expected to return on March 26 to wind down his preparation and help promote the fight which is a grudge rematch after Penalosa scored a sixth round TKO over Ratanachai in a WBC International super flyweight title fight on November 6, 2000 at Casino Filipino in Paranaque.

WBO Intercontinental super bantamweight champion Rey ?Boom Boom? Bautista (24-1, 17 KO?s)will make the second defense of his title against Genaro Camago (16-3, 10 KO?s) of Mexico while talented super flyweight prospect AJ ?Bazooka? Banal (16-0-1, 13 KO?s) will figure in what is being billed as a tough IBF eliminator for the No. 1 ranking against undefeated No. 10 ranked WBC Latino champion Caril Herrera (21-0, 13 KO's).

Others on the fight card include former world IBF light flyweight title challenger Bert Batawang (50-7, 34 KO's) who clashes with Indonesia's Heri Amol and Philippine bantamweight champion Michael Domingo (34-14-2, 13 KO's) against Thailand's Thepnimit Chit Pattana (18-2, 7 KO's).