DAVE PEÑALOSA CAN BE WORLD CHAMPION
By Tonton Alcos-Antogop
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 18 Feb 2019
"Take it from me, Dave (Pe?alosa) can be world champion."
Take that from somebody who produced two world boxing champions in his fold, Samson "Sammy" Gello-ani, the so-called "Don King" of the Cebu boxing circle when he was still very active years back.
Gello-ani told Gerry Pe?alosa that his nephew would be world champion once the planned championship bout with reigning World Boxing Organization ( WBO) featherweight champion Oscar Valdez pushes through.
He cited the world championship belts of his boxers Marvin Sonsona, then the WBO superflyweight champion and Johnriel Casimero, the ex-International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior flyweight and flyweight king.
"Sonsona became champion with 13 fights, Casimero with 13 fights, take it from me," Gello-ani followed up in his conversation with Pe?alosa in the sidelines of the Dave Pe?alosa-Marcos Cardenas WBO Oriental featherweight championship last Saturday night where Dave won at the Skydome of SM North EDSA in Quezon City.
After his victory over Cardenas, Dave who is expected to be ranked as among the top 15 featherweights in the WBO listing, has 15-0, 11KOs fight record.
Asked on his reaction on Gello-ani's remarks, Gerry, is now more enthusiastic, sharing what he had in mind as the possible fight venue.
"Sa MOA (Mall of Asia) ta, basta madayun (In MOA arena, if it pushes through)," Pe?alosa told this writer.
It was Gerry himself who said in a live post fight interview over ESPN TV5 his intent to bring Valdez in Manila to face his nephew.
The only question now is whether Valdez and his camp would accept the offer more so that the Mexican champion is under the promotional rights of Top Rank.
In fact just a tidbit, Valdez reportedly earned US$400,000 in his Sept. 22, 2017 fight with Filipino fighter Genesis Servania in Tucson, Arizona, USA.
If there's a will, theres a way though and the sort of silver lining in that fight with Servania, the WBO featherweight champ was floored by the Filipino in the 4th round.
Although in the 5th Valdez knocked down Servania too and from thereon controlled the fight and won via UD, but the fact remains that he is not invincible.
He can be floored once hit by a well executed punch and could somewhat lead to a conclusion that he is, BEATABLE.
Ergo, once his camp would agree to trade fists with Pe?alosa and the newly crowned WBO Oriental featherweight king would succeed, Gello-ani is right - Dave Pe?alosa can be world champion.
[FACTS VERIFICATION: Sonsona as per boxrec became world champion in his 14th pro-fight in September 2009 after dethroning Puerto Rican Jose Lopez. Casimero became WBO interim junior flyweight champ in his 14th bout against Colombian Cesar Canchila in December 2009. It was just in 2012 that Casimero became IBF junior flyweight champion when the IBF declared him after Ulises Solis failed to defend the crown. Casimero in Feb. 10, 2012 became the interim IBF junior champ after beating Argentinian Luis Alberto Lazarte but not without fracas in the post fight as fans stormed the ring and hit Casimero and his team. Casimero became IBF flyweight champion in his 22nd fight last May 2016, wresting the belt from Amnat Ruenroeng knocking out the Thailander in the 4th round of their return bout in Beijing, China.]
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