THE ageless Pe?alosa, who refused to hang his gloves after absorbing a stinging defeat from the hands of World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight champ Puerto Rican Juan Manuel Lopez last year, is heading to a make-or-break bout on Valentine’s Day (Sunday in Manila).
Based on various internet reports, the 37-year-old Pe?alosa seeks redemption when he collides against Puerto Rican Eric Morel (41-2-0 with 21 knockouts), in the Top Rank Promotion’s Pinoy Power 3/Latin Fury 13.
“I’m always well prepared in all my fights and this fight is no exception because I’m no longer a young man and as long as there is an opportunity for me to train, I train,” said Pe?alosa to philboxing.com, who expects a good fight with Morel.
Pe?alosa (54-7-2 with 36 knockouts), a former two-time world division champion, lost to Lopez in April via technical knockout (TKO), when his trainer Freddie Roach—also pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao’s trainer—threw the towel in the ninth round.
Retirement after the bloody loss is not on Pe?alosa’s mind, however. “No, no, no. I really loved this sport so much. I’m coming back in this bout and I’m very confident I’ll be able to win this one,” he said. “I ask for one more fight.”
Although not getting any younger, the former World Boxing Council (WBC) super flyweight and WBO bantamweight champion also promised that he will push the fight to the limit.
Pe?alosa did not mention anything about retirement if he makes it or not.
Besides Pe?alosa, other Filipino boxers who will fight in Hilton Hotel at Las Vegas are Nonito Donaire (22-1 with 14 KOs), Bernabe Concepcion (27-3-1 with 15 KOs), Ciso Morales (14-0 with 8 KOs) and Mark Jason Melligen (16-2-12 KOs).
With Gerson Guerrero not passing the medical test, Donaire will face Manuel “Chango” Vargas (26-4-1 with 11 KOs) to fight the “Filipino Flash.”
Concepcion takes on Mario Santiago (21-1-1 with 14 KOs), Morales fights bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel (39-2-2 with 29 KOs) and Melligen meets American Mike Anchondo (36-2 with 19 KOs). Josef T. Ramos
