RP WINS 'WORLD CUP' OVER MEXICO, 5-1
By Salven L. Lagumbay
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 13 Aug 2007
SACRAMENTO -- The Philippines won the bragging rights over Mexico yesterday, winning five of the six bouts at stake at the 'World Cup' of Boxing held at the Arco Arena here in front of a highly-partisan crowd of 4,469 screaming fans for both countries and in the process giving Mexico a dose of its own medicine.
With the win, the Philippines solidified its position as the world's boxing superpower, snatching that title from long-reigning Mexico which has been a bastion for great boxing talents for several decades, and which also thrashed Thailand 5-1 in the inaugural staging of the Cup.
"The Philippines has arrived!" said a foreign journalist who was at ringside covering the event. "What a fantastic night for the Philippine country."
"Winning the World Cup means the world to us Filipinos. That puts us in a special position of being excellent sportsmen and renewed our faith in ourselves," said Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Neri Lim, who flew to this city to lead a small contingent of supporters from the Philippines.
The RP Team receives the world cup trophy from Golden Boy's Oscar de la Hoya.
Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista tries to keep his balance after getting up from the canvas.
AJ Banal sends Cardenas to the canvas to win by knockout.
Michael Domingo throws a right in route to a unanimous decision win.
Diosdado Gabi outpoints Beranza.
Gerry Penalosa led the Filipinos' charge, snatching the WBO bantam title with a come-from-behind knockout win over Mexican champ Jhonny Gonzalez.
Z Gorres sealed the Filipinos' victory, earning for the country the fourth win yesterday when he stopped ex-WBC champ Eric Ortiz with an eighth-round technical knockout.
The night's first winner was Davao City's Diosdado Gabi, who prevailed on an eight-round unanimous decision over Jose Angel Beranza.
Michael Domingo followed it up with a six-round masterful unanimous win over previously unbeaten Miguel Roman in their six-round tiff.
AJ 'Bazooka' Banal completed the five victories, as he stopped Jorge Cardenas in the third round of their scheduled six-rounder.
The country will defend the World Cup title sometime in 2009, with another Latino country possibley getting the chance to challenge the Filipinos.
The victory in the World Cup also showcases the tremendous talents of the charges at ALA Gym, which almost single-handedly put Philippine boxing at the top of the world.
ALA fighters, which include Gerry Penalosa who is himself a product of the ALA training, accounted for four of the five-win total, prompting observers to call it "the Philippines' wonder gym."
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Salven L. Lagumbay.
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