REIGNING world bantamweight champion Gerry Pe?alosa belied reports that he is set to defend his crown against former ruler Jhonny Gonzalez in Mexico this December.
In an interview with BusinessMirror, Pe?alosa, 35, said nothing is definite with regards to his next fight.
“Si Gonzalez lang ang may gusto niyan. Malabong mangyari ’yan,” said Pe?alosa.
The southpaw Pe?alosa, a newly-minted two-division world champion, told BusinessMirror there is no rematch clause when he signed the contract to fight Gonzalez for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) 118-lb crown.
The past few weeks, several Mexican newspapers have been publishing reports about Gonzalez’s claim that his return bout with Pe?alosa is a done deal.
The reported Pe?alosa-Gonzalez II, the dethroned Mexican added, will happen either in Cancun, Juarez or Mexico City in November.
“Masuwerte din ako kasi walang rematch clause ’yung kontrata namin kaya imposible na ipilit ni Gonzalez ’yung laban namin,” said Pe?alosa, a former world super-flyweight champion.
Pe?alosa won the WBO crown with a shocking seventh round knockout win over Gonzalez last August at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. The bout was one of two world title fights of the highly successful World Cup of Boxing tournament.
In the bout, Gonzalez was about to dominate Pe?alosa with precision jabbing and counterpunching until the clever Filipino challenger connected a vicious left counter to the Mexican’s trunk body. The single but obviously solid blow sent the Mexican down on his knees in the neutral corner where he was counted out.
“I am sure to win in the rematch. I dominated and was winning against him in the first fight. It’s just that I neglected my defense that night. That won’t happen again,” Gonzalez was quoted as saying in the well-read Esto Newspaper.
Pe?alosa said he is still asking his promoter Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) to work on a possible rematch with Gonzalez’s compatriot, world champion Daniel Ponce de Leon.
Ponce de Leon, current WBO super-bantamweight king, is the last fighter to defeat Pe?alosa when the two met last March at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pe?alosa added that another Mexican superstar Jorge Arce is also being considered as a possible title challenger.
BusinessMirror learned from reliable sources that GBP executives are convincing WBO super-flyweight champion Fernando Montiel to move up in weight and challenge Pe?alosa.
Montiel is the same Mexican who escaped with a controversial split verdict over Filipino contender Z Gorres last February in Cebu.
Nonito boxer of the month
International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. was named Boxer of the month by the prestigious The Ring magazine.
In an overseas interview with BusinessMirror, Donaire said he was surprised but at the same time honored to be named the month’s best by the magazine, widely regarded as the bible of boxing.
“I can’t believe it. But this is definitely a great honor for me,” said Donaire.
The magazine has the rematch between Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao and Mexican icon Marco Antonio Barrera as cover story which is now on sale.
The 24-year-old Donaire, meanwhile, is back in training and has been doing some punch mitts with his father and trainer Nonito, Sr.
“It’s the first time for me to hit on something but I still have to wait on any development regarding my next opponent,” said Donaire “My manager has assured me I will fight in December.”
Donaire won the world crown with a smashing fifth round knockout win over previously unbeaten Australia-based Armenian Vic Darchinyan last July in Connecticut.
