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Gerry, ?Boom Boom? by KO; With IBF chipping in, ?Cup? now shimmers By Dennis Principe PhilBoxing.com Sat, 11 Aug 2007  I?ve never had this confidence in predicting the outcome of a fight involving Gerry Penalosa, undisputedly one of Philippine boxing?s top pound-for-pound boxers. So I am almost certain Penalosa will win by knockout against Jhonny Gonzalez in their 12-round World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight title fight this Saturday at the Arco Arena in Sacramento. Gerry?s performance against the naturally bigger Daniel Ponce De Leon last March proved to all and sundry he still possesses world class skills. True, Gonzalez is taller and is punch-wise stronger. But the go-forward Mexican almost always throws his punches sidelong, which may be more lethal if thrown unswervingly. Unless Gonzalez corrects his detouring punches, I can see Penalosa, one of the best counter-punchers of the sport, cementing his place in the pantheon of Filipino greats. ***** I have followed the career of Penalosa ever since he scored a smashing a 5th round knockout win over Jeung Jae Lee in March 1990 in a defense of his IBF Intercontinental junior flyweight title he won two months earlier in Indonesia. A then 18-year-old Penalosa was fighting for the first time on a televised card dubbed ?Penalosa versus the best of Asia? headlined by Gerry?s illustrious brother Dodie Boy and another sibling Jonathan. ?Kanina sabi natin lalaban si Gerry, ang kapatid ni Dodie Boy. Pero ngayon dapat ipakilala natin si Dodie Boy, ang kapatid ni Gerry.? said TV host Recah Trinidad who worked as the analyst of that fight. Ka Recah made that remark as he was enamored by the brilliant boxing skills Penalosa showed in demolishing his Korean foe. Ka Recah?s statement was his way of saying Gerry has the tools of eclipsing the stardom of his Kuya Dodie, already a legend for becoming the first Filipino to win two world crowns in two divisions. Ka Recah?s right all along as Gerry eventually won the World Boxing Council (WBC) superflyweight crown. And this weekend, I wish to receive an invite from Ka Recah to a return engagement in his bukid in Mandaluyong to celebrate Gerry?s anticipated historic triumph as the country?s fourth two-time world champion along with Manny Pacquiao, Luisito Espinosa and Kuya Dodie. ***** Lest we forget, we are also about to witness another legend in the making in Rey ?Boom Boom? Bautista. The Candijay, Bohol native Bautista, 21, will challenge Gerry?s last foe Ponce De Leon for the WBO superbantamweight crown. Bautista versus De Leon will be a proverbial battle of youth versus experience and I?m giving the edge to the Boholano warrior. Penalosa last March exposed De Leon as not the typical punch-resistant fighter especially in the last three rounds as the supposed Mexican warrior morphed into an African runner by sprinting away from the Filipino?s attacks. And with admired Freddie Roach focusing on the defense of an offensive-minded Bautista in their alliance at the famed Wild Card Gym, I expect the spirit of De Leon?s great great grandfather, an Indian warrior many generations ago in Mexico, paying homage to Bohol?s great hero Dagohoy. ***** I?m proud to be one of hundreds of spectators who witnessed Bautista make his pro debut in a non-televised card back in June 2003 at the Gaisano Countrymall?s carpark in Mandaue City. Though I must admit it was the performance of Czar Amonsot that got my attention that night, I must also say Bautista made me more excited about the future of Philippine boxing that night. And so here we are right now, anticipating a boom in Philippine boxing with ?Boom Boom? and his fellow young guns ready to launch an all-out drive to establish the country as the next hotbed of boxing superstars. ***** After the WBO?s recent judging booboos, I had serious reservations about the credibility of the first-of-its-kind Boxing World Cup. Maybe, they have a strong argument that the WBO superflyweight title bout between champion Fernando Montiel and challenger Z Gorres was a close call. And perhaps, De Leon won over Penalosa last March, but even WBO executives who know deep in their hearts the fight was not one-sided which was what turned out in the scorecards of the three stooges, err?judges. The WBO may count Cebu boxing benefactor Tony Aldeguer as their redeemer for insisting that a non-WBO sanctioned bout be included the Mexico vs. RP tournament. In the exciting card promoted by fledgling outfit Golden Boy Promotions, Gorres will battle ex-world lightflyweight champion Eric Ortiz for the IBF Intercontinental 115-lb crown. Gorres was supposed to fight Gerson Guerrero in an IBF world title eliminator but the Mexican was KO?ed by an injury early last week that led to the switch. Bert Batawang was also slated to oppose Gerardo Verde in another IBF lightflyweight title eliminator but just like Guerrero, the Mexican had to pull out due also to an eye injury. The WBC, WBA and IBF are considered the ?Big 3? of boxing with the WBO probably coming in fourth. And so with the IBF?s inclusion, the World Cup probably gained a certain amount of integrity. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dennis Principe.  |
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