GOLDEN Boy Promotions (GBP) Vice-president Eric Gomez believes Gerry Penalosa can handle Mexican superstar Jorge Arce.
But the thing is, Gomez said Arce?s promoter Top Rank Inc. is not ready to let their ward face the Filipino world bantamweight champion.
Gomez guested in Friday’s edition of “Sports Chat” hosted by Fightnews feature writer Dennis Principe.
Penalosa, 35, is set to make his first title defense against Ratanachai Sor Vorapin of Thailand Sunday morning at the Araneta Coliseum, site of the classic ?Thrilla in Manila?.
Also seeing action in this card dubbed ?Invasion: Philippines vs. The World? are one-time world title challenger Rey ?Boom Boom? Bautista who will defend his WBO Asia-Pacific super bantamweight crown against Mexican Genaro Camargo, AJ Banal who will challenge world number two super flyweight Caril Herrera of Uruguay in an eliminator for the world #1 ranking, RP bantam champ Michael Domingo vs Thailand’s Thepnimit Sor Chitpattana and veteran Bert Batawang takes on Indonesia’s Heri Amol.
Another unbeaten fighter, WBO Oriental and Asia-Pacific superbantam titlist Ciso “Kid Terrible” Morales will defend his titles against South Korea’s Yoo Shin Kim (6-1, 4 KO’s).
Vorapin, 31, defeated 12 Filipino fighters since losing to Penalosa via 6th round TKO last November 2000 at the Casino Filipino Amphitheater in Paranaque. In between Vorapin held the WBO bantamaweight crown which he defended it once before losing it to Mexican Jhonny Gonzalez via 7th round TKO last October 2005 in Arizona.
Penalosa meanwhile won the title by stopping Gonzalez in the 7th round with a single shot to the body in a title bout held August of last year at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California.
Penalosa has a record of 52-6-2 with 35 knockouts while Vorapin is already a veteran of 81 fights, winning 72 of them, 48 by KO?s.
Potentially touted as the best match-up of the card is the battle of undefeated fighters Banal (16-0, 13 KO?s) and Herrera 21-0, 13 KO?s) as experts have been telling the Filipino camp to better be well-prepared as the Uruguay fighter is said to be his country?s best kept secret.
All fighters attended the press conference except Herrera who lost his way coming from the airport. Also on hand were Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) vice-president Eric Gomez, GBP COO David Itskowitch, ABS-CBN Vice-President for Sports Peter Musngi, ALA Boxing Executive Michael Aldeguer, Penalosa?s manager Billy Keane, Thai promoter Kokiet Panichayarom and WBO Asia-Pacific boss Leon Panoncillo.
The card will be broadcast live in the Philippines and the world via ABS-CBN global network (TFC) in USA, Europe, Middle East, Japan, Australia, Guam and Hawaii. Broadcast begins at 10AM RP time and 6PM Pacific time in the US.
