|
 TWO-DIVISION
world champion Gerry Peñalosa wants to
etch his name into the annals of boxing as the first
Asian to win three division crowns.
The
35-year-old Peñalosa said money is immaterial and that
all he is thinking of at the moment is to make history.
“Hindi
na ako bumabata. Baka isang laban na lang ako kaya ang
gusto ko memorable fight para hindi ako
makalimutan ng mga kababayan natin,” said Peñalosa.
The
priority fight Peñalosa is thinking about is a rematch
with Mexican tormentor Daniel Ponce de Leon of
Mexico,
the current World Boxing Organization (WBO)
super-bantamweight ruler.
Ponce de
Leon inflicted Peñalosa his last loss as the Mexican
escaped with a controversial 12-round decision on March
in Las Vegas.
Two
weeks ago at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, Ponce de Leon
scored a brutal first-round technical-knockout win over
Filipino prospect Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista in their main
event of the just concluded six-bout World Cup of Boxing
won by the Filipinos, 5-1.
In that
same duel, Peñalosa snatched the WBO bantamweight crown
by stopping Mexican young star Jhonny Gonzalez with a
vicious single left hook to the body in the seventh
canto of their 12-round encounter.
“Gusto
ko si Ponce de Leon. I want his belt and gusto ko
iganti si “Boom Boom,” Peñalosa said.
Peñalosa
also cited another major reason why he is aching to get
back at Ponce de Leon.
“Maraming
nagsasabi ako dapat nanalo sa unang laban namin. Pero
kinalimutan ko na ’yun. Mas maganda kung maglaban uli
kami para malaman namin kung sino talaga ang panalo,”
Peñalosa added.
Peñalosa
disclosed as well that his American representative Billy
Keane has offered him to defend his WBO belt against
Mexican superstar Jorge “Travieso” Arce in December.
But
Peñalosa has other things in mind as he is bent in being
the first Asian three-division world champion.
Peñalosa
added that if Ponce de Leon won’t be available, he would
challenge reigning World Boxing Council (WBC)
super-bantamweight champion Israel Vasquez of Mexico.
“Ang
gusto kong makalaban ay ’yung may belt sa
122. Kung ayaw ni Ponce de Leon si Vasquez
ang gusto ko,” added Peñalosa.
The
29-year-old Vasquez (42-4, 31 KOs) is coming off a
classic sixth-round technical-knockout win over
compatriot Rafael Marquez in a rematch on August 4 at
the Dodge Arena in Hidalgo, Texas.
Meanwhile, Manny Pacquiao started his sparring session
yesterday at the Wakee Salud Gym in Cebu. Pacquiao will
have Mexican Steven Luevano as his sparring partner.
Two
other Mexicans are scheduled to arrive today to join
Luevano in whipping Pacquiao into fighting form.
Pacquiao
will meet Mexican rival Marco Antonio Barrera of Mexico
on October 6 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
On
Sunday, Pacquiao played basketball with
Cebu sportswriters at the City Sports Gym. Pacquiao’s Team Pacman
beat Cebu Sports Media Association (CSMA), 75-72.
Pacquiao led the way for his team, scoring a team-high
27 points as he baffled several multiple team defenses
thrown at him especially in the dying minutes of the
game. |
