PENALOSA WANTS PONCE DE LEON
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 17 Aug 2007
Newly crowned WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa insists he wants a rematch with super bantamweight champion Daniel Ponce De Leon who beat him the first time they met although trainer Freddie Roach believes the Filipino southpaw won that fight.
Ponce De Leon has expressed his willingness to come to the Philippines to fight Penalosa who in turn remarked he was prepared to take on Ponce De Leon even in Mexico.
Penalosa arrived from Los Angeles aboard an early morning Philippine Airlines flight along with his wife Goody, celebrated trainer Freddie Roach and Diosdado Gabi who won the opening bout in the Philippines-Mexico World Cup at the Arco Arena in Sacramento last Sunday (Manila Time).
When Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today suggested that he first defend his 118 pound title against a not too dangerous opponent, make some money and then take on Ponce De Leon, Penalosa replied, “I want Ponce De Leon.”
Roach said that since Penalosa appeared obsessed with getting back at Ponce De Leon he suggested that they “fight at a catch weight of 120 pounds.” Roach and Penalosa both agreed that the Mexican was “a strong fighter” but Roach was confident that Penalosa whom he described as “the best defensive fighter in the world can beat him.”
Roach praised Penalosa as ”technically, by the book, a great fighter and a great role model and someone people should watch because he is what boxing is all about.”
Penalosa said his change in tactic in the title fight where he was the aggressor and put pressure on WBO bantamweight champion Jhonny Gonzales from whom he won the title via a stunning seventh round knockout was what trainer Roach “wanted me to do.”
Roach said although he was not in Penalosa’s corner for the first meeting between Penalosa and Ponce De Leon they made the mistake of “letting him come to us and Gerry counter punched and landed the big shots but the judges gave Ponce De Leon credit for coming forward and I didn’t want that to happen again and have the judges steal the fight from Gerry. So Gerry backed this guy (Gonzales) and made him miss by going under punches and he was successful.”
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