HIS swollen right hand won?t allow reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa to fight in the undercard of the Shane Mosley-Zab Judah slugfest on May31 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Upon the advised of Dr. Butch Penamante, the family physician of the Penalosas, the two-time world champion needed to rest for a while the same throbbing hand he aggravated while training for his recent fight against Thai Ratanachai Sor Vorapin.
The 35-year-old Filipino hurt his hand in a sparring session with former world champion Kevin Kelly while training in Las Vegas more than a month before his successful 12-round title defense against Vorapin at the Araneta Coliseum.
Penalosa said he hasn?t told about his decision to American manager Billy Keane.
?Hindi ko pa na-inform `yung American manager ko tungkol sa desisyon ko. Pero sa advice nga ng doctor ko i-pahinga ko raw muna yung kamay ko kasi medo maga pa hanggang ngayon,? Penalosa revealed in Friday?s SCOOP session at Kamayan in Padre Faura.
No names had been mentioned of Penalosa?s possible opponent had he agreed to fight in the May 31 boxing card, six weeks after climbing the ring opposite Vorapin. But the rest, according to Penalosa, should augur well for him should his looming rematch with WBO super-bantamweight king Daniel Ponce de Leon finally pushes through this August.
?Mas magandang naka-pahinga para maganda ang kundisyon natin agains Ponce de Leon,? added the soft-spoken champion in the session sponsored by Accel. ?Pero depende rin sa kalalabasan ng laban niya (Ponce de Leon), although ang alam ko pumayag na siyang mag-laban kami ulit,? Penalosa said.
Ponce de Leon (34-1, 30 knockouts) stakes his 122-pound belt against Juan Manuel Lopez of Puerto Rico on June 7 at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Penalosa lost a unanimous decision against the fearsome Mexican when he challenged the WBO champion last year in Las Vegas, Nevada.
?Kung manalo siya (Ponce de Leon), baka masama kami as undercard ng rematch ni Oscar Dela Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr,? said Penalosa. The Filipino currently belongs to Golden Boy Promotions, the boxing arm owned by Dela Hoya.
Meanwhile, International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimum weight champion Florante Condes admitted on the same forum that the controversy hounding his career is too big to handle that almost made him quit boxing.
?Ayoko na talagang bumalik sa boxing noon kasi naguguluhan na ako sa mga nangyayari,? the 27-year-old native of Looc, Romblon revealed.
Condes parted ways with former manager Aljoe Jaro whom he accused of not giving what is due him, including enough share in the prize money for dethroning Indonesia champion Muhammad Rachman in July last year.
Condes, however, obliged to the advice of his family and friends not to give up and defend the title against his mandatory challenger Raul Garcia of Mexico .
Condes will be defending his title for the first time against undefeated Garcia (22-0-1, 15 knockouts) on June 14 in La Paz , Baja California Sur , Mexico .
Filipino promoter Sammy Gello-ani is temporarily helping Condes while his case with Jaro is being settled by the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) with the legal counsel Atty. Edgard Dennis Padernal.
Condes is still under the care of his Puerto Rican manager Dante Ortiz.
Condes (22-3-1, 20 knockouts), who tapped the services of former ALA Boxing Gym trainer Danny Bactol, got morale support from Penalosa.
?Magaling siya at alam ko magtatagal siya sa boxing basta mag-focus lang siya,? said Penalosa
