NEWLY crowned World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight champion Gerry Pe?alosa will arrive in Cebu today and is scheduled to hold a press conference together with his trainer-manager Freddie Roach and boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao at the Cebu City Marriot Hotel.
Pe?alosa, one of the six Filipino fighters who carried the Philippine flag during the World Cup Boxing last Aug. 12 at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California, USA, will arrive at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport at 10 a.m.
The victory lunch and press conference is organized by Pe?alosa’s former manager, Rex “Wakee” Salud in cooperation with the Cebu City government.
Pe?alosa scored a sensational knockout win over Jhonny Gonzales at the seventh round to claim his second world title 10 years after he won his first in Febraury 1997.
There are a lot of speculations on Pe?alosa’s next move but the new world champion himself is going to answer all that questions.
Reports pointed out that Pe?alosa wanted a rematch against Daniel Ponce de Leon, who beat him by unanimous decision last March.
Also during the World Cup, de Leon thwarted a sweep and spoiled the lunches of Pinoy fans after pummeling Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista in just one round.
Gonzales also wants an immediate rematch with the champion, while others want Pe?alosa to unify the other 118-pound belts before hanging his gloves for good.
Pe?alosa can shop around from a very good selection of bantamweight champions.
The most prestigious organization, the WBC has Japanese Hozumi Hasagawa with a ring record of 22-2, 7 KOs, the World Boxing Association (WBA) is ruled by the Germany-based Ukrainian champion Wladimir Sidorenko, who is undefeated with 22-0-2, 7 KOs and the IBF champion is Luis Alberto Perez of Nicaragua who parades a 25-1,16 KOs record.
The 35-year-old Pe?alosa, however, is more inclined to challenging de Leon for the second time to try for his third world title in three divisions.
