MANILA?Will Gerry ?The Fearless? Pe?alosa repeat what he had done in 2000 when he turned out the lights of Ratanchai Sor Vorapin?
The people will finally learn the answer when both fighters step into the ring once again and trade leathers as Pe?alosa puts his World Boxing Organization bantamweight crown on the line today in the fight card dubbed ?Invasion: Philippines vs. The World? at the Araneta Coliseum.
This is the first title defense for the 35-year-old since he acquired the title from Jhonny Gonzalez last Aug. 11, 2008 in a seventh round KO.
Pe?alosa holds a record of 52-6-2 with 35 KOs and has never been knocked out in his long illustrious career, while Thailand?s Sor Vorapin, the much younger fighter, has an outstanding 72-9 and 48 KO record.
The Cebu-based Pe?alosa decked Vorapin in the sixth round for the WBC international super flyweight title back in 2000, and Vorapin, who has fought 37 times since that loss, has said he is now a different fighter and aims to beat Pe?alosa this time.
In the supporting bouts, Rey ?Boom Boom? Bautista (24-1, 17 KOs) will defend his WBO Intercontinental super bantamweight title against Mexican Genaro Camargo (16-3, 10 KOs). Bautista lost only once in his career, against Daniel Ponce De Leon, who is is also the tormentor of Pe?alosa.
Another ALA boy seeing action is AJ ?Bazooka? Banal (16-0-1, 13 KOs), who will face the undefeated Caril ?El Raton? Herrera (21-0, 13 KOs) of Uruguay in an International Boxing Federation super flyweight eliminator bout.
A third title bout in the undercard will pit the up-and-rising young talent Ciso ?Kid Terrible? Morales (10-0, 6 KOs) as he defends his WBO Oriental super bantamweight title against Korean Yoo Shin Kim (6-1, 4 KOs).
ALA boxer Michael Domingo (34-14-2, 13 KOs) will go into battle with Thepnimit Sor Chitpattana (18-2, 7 KOs) of Thailand, while Boxing World Cup member and veteran Bert Batawang (50-7, 34 KO?s) will be up against Indonesian Heri Amol (22-8-3, 7 KO?s).
Boxing fans can witness this fight card live on ABS-CBN at 9 a.m.
