THE year of the Pig promises to put Cebu in the center of world boxing as the World Cup of Boxing standoff between the Philippines and Mexico is confirmed to take place here during the first quarter.
The mega-event will be staged on March 4 either Mandaue or Cebu City.
Yesterday, SGG promotions’ Sammy Gello-ani announced the development in the presence of World Boxing Organization (WBO) Asia-Pacific chairman Leon Panoncillo Jr. and ALA Gym founder and Cebu’s boxing patron Antonio Lopez Aldeguer in a press conference at the Laguna Garden Caf?.
Topping the event is WBO No.1 super bantamweight challenger Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista against Mexican champion Daniel Ponce De Leon, who has accepted the offer to fight the hottest Filipino prospect.
“This (news) just came in this morning. Aside from the Bautista-De Leon championship, we also have confirmed the Z Gorres vs. Fernando Montiel fight for the WBO super flyweight title and the other, which is still under negotiation because Johnny Gonzalez is not interested to fight Gerry Pe?alosa for the WBO bantamweight title,” said Gello-ani.
In the last week of January or early February, Golden Boy Promotions president and founder Oscar De La Hoya and his partner Bernard Hopkins, CEO Richard Schaefer, vice president Eric Gomez and international matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz will be coming to promote the card.
“This is going to be the centerpiece of the first quarter of the year,” said Panoncillo, who arrived in Cebu yesterday to lead the WBO’s giving of gifts to less fortunate kids at the SOS Children’s Village and at the Asilo de la Milagrosa.
De La Hoya will bring the Cup, worth $500,000, that will go to the winning country in the seven-fight spectacle, which will also feature promising fighters from both countries.
Third title fight
“As for the third world championship, if ever Golden Boy cannot convince Gonzalez to fight Pe?alosa, we are looking for WBO light flyweight champion Hugo Cazarez to fight either (Bert) Batawang or Rodel Mayol,” added Gello-ani.
Aside from the three world titular showdowns, a WBO minor belt will also feature the youthful sensation AJ “Bazooka” Banal fighting for the title.
Gello-ani also added the possibility of having Philippine super featherweight champion Jimrex Jaca, WBO Asia-Pacific minimumweight king Donnie Nietes and junior welterweight campaigner Mark Jason Milleguen in the card.
Yesterday, Gello-ani and Panoncillo inspected the possible venues: the Cebu International Convention Center, the abandoned Uniwide Warehouse and the Cebu Boardwalk in Mandaue City and the Cebu City Sports Complex and the South Reclamation Properties.
Because of the projected expenses for the explosive event, Aldeguer is appealing for help from both the local government and private sector for the staging of the World Cup.
Meanwhile, Bautista announced his preparedness to fight De Leon.
“I am very eager to fight De Leon. Now is my time and I won’t miss this thing. I have been longing to fight him,” Bautista said during the press conference.
Gorres, on the other hand, promised to bring the first world title to the ALA Gym.
“I vowed to bring the world title to the ALA Gym, which was the first thing Sir ALA had wanted ever since,” Gorres said.
Bautista, Gorres and Banal will fly to the US on Jan. 10 together with their trainer Edito Villamor to start their preparation at the Wild Card Gym. They’ll stay there for six weeks before winding their training camp here in Cebu. (RCM)
