THE Philippines? boxing rivalry with Mexico, kickstarted by Manny Pacquiao?s conquest of two Mexican legends, reaches new heights today when six of the promising boxers in each country battle it out for the World Cup in Sacramento, California.
And if the Philippines emerges triumphant, the country will take the Cup away from the current holders and have two more world champions.
Meanwhile, the boxers made their weights easily during the official weigh- in at the Arden Fair Mall.
WBO super bantamweight champion Daniel Ponce de Leon (31-1, 28 KOs) and Filipino challenger Rey ?Boom-Boom? Bautista (23-0, 17 KOs) easily made the required weights.
Pacquiao, who was named as the honorary team captain of the Team Philippines did not show up for the weigh in, while Mexico?s Juan Manuel Marquez was there to show his support to his compatriots.
?This is what I dreamed of, a world championship fight. I want to bring honor to my country and my province. I did what I had to do in training and this will be a total war (in the ring),? Bautista said in an interview with ABS-CBN.
Bautista also said that they are dedicating the fights to Mrs. Lou Aldeguer and Rey?s mother, Susan, who are both celebrating their birthdays today.
De Leon tipped the scales at 121.6 pounds, while Bautista was just a shade lighter at 121.4 pounds.
The fighters in the other championship fight also had no problems making weight. WBO 118-pound champion Johnny Gonzales (34-5, 29 KOs) was at 116.8, while challenger Gerry Pe?alosa (51-6-2, 34 KOs) was just a pound heavier.
Eliminator
Z ?The Dream? Gorres (26-2-1, 14 KOs) scaled at 114.4, while former world champion Eric Ortiz (25-6-1, 17 KOs) just barely made the 115-pound limit.
Gorres and Ortiz will be fighting for the IBF intercontinental junior bantamweight championship. Gorres was originally scheduled to face Gerson Guerrero in an IBF eliminator bout but the fight was axed after Guerrero was found out to have a detached retina.
AJ ?Bazooka? Banal (13-0-1, 10 KOs) also weighed in at exactly 115 pounds, while his opponent Jorge Cardenas (9-3, 6 KOs) a shade under the limit at 114.8 pounds. Michael Domingo also tipped at 122 pounds, just slightly lighter than his opponent Miguel Roman, who was at 123.2 pounds.
The last Pinoy fighter, Diosdado ?Prince? Gabi scaled at 118.4 while Jose Angel Beranza was at 118 pounds.
Before the six fights, a curtain raiser will feature the four-round middleweight clash between Angel Polanco and Brandon Gonzales. However, the Polanco-Gonzales match won?t count in the contest for boxing supremacy between two nations.
Since the World Cup could end up in a draw following the cancellation of the Bert Batawang-Gerardo Verde fight, Oscar dela Hoya have come up with a tiebreaker.
In case both countries win the same number of bouts, the Cup will go to the country with the most knockouts. If that still ends in a draw, the country with the most number of rounds won will get the Cup. (RCM)
