PENALOSA LEADS RP ANNIHILATION OF INVASION FORCE
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 06 Apr 2008
WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa led the Philippines in its annihilation of an invasion force in a much-applauded performance by Filipino boxers who swept their showdown with challengers from the rest of the world at the famed Araneta Coliseum, the ?Mecca? of Philippine sports and entertainment.
Cheered on by Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao who was in his dressing room for several minutes giving him pointers and then leading the team in prayer, the 35 year old Penalosa proved he still has a couple of good fights ahead of him with an impressive eighth round TKO over tough Thai challenger and former champion Ratanachai Sor Vorapin who wilted under a vicious body attack and pinpoint punches to the head.
Referee Gino Rodriguez of Chicago who was officiating in his 73rd title fight allowed Ratanachai to get away with a couple of infractions when he was guilty of holding and hitting. But Penalosa waved it off as well as a cut above the forehead as a result of a clash of heads to hammer the game Thai into submission at 2:31 of the eighth round.
His face a bloody mess from the incessant pounding of Penalosa, Ratanachai tried to work the body but Penalosa, a master of defense, took most of the punches on his gloves or forearms although the Thai did catch him a couple of times with solid shots.
After a quiet opening Penalosa, egged on by Roach, picked up the tempo and staggered Ratanachai with a cracking combination in round four and then mauled him in the fifth. Penalosa gave the challenger a boxing lesson in round six and with a flurry of punches in the final seconds of round seven set Ratanachai up for the kill.
With just over one minute to go in the fateful eighth round Penalosa capped a furious barrage of punches with a perfectly-timed uppercut which sent the Thai halfway down and although his gloves apparently touched the canvas, the referee waved them on. Sensing he had Ratanachai in deep trouble Penalosa went after him with another series of punches sending Ratanachai crashing to the canvas with his face all bloodied giving referee Dominguez no choice but to call a halt.
Interviewed by ABS-CBN?s indefatigable Dyan Castillejo who handled the worldwide telecast by the country?s pre-eminent television network alongside veteran Sev Sarmenta and this reporter, Penalosa for the umpteenth time said ?I want Daniel Ponce De Leon? the man who beat him far from convincingly in a WBO super bantamweight title fight last year.
Pacquiao who stepped into the ring to congratulate Penalosa and raise his hand in victory said he was confident Penalosa could beat Ponce De Leon and ?if that happens I will join him (Penalosa) in training.?
Top photo: Gerry Penalosa against Sor Voraphin.
Bautista-Camargo.
Banal-Herrera.
The fireworks began with WBO Oriental junior featherweight champion Ciso ?Kid Terrible? Morales battering game Korean Yoo Shin Kim's to score a TKO when international referee Ferdie Estrella stopped the bout at 2:24 of the fifth round to prevent the blood-splattered Kim from absorbing any more punishment.
The explosive AJ ?Bazooka?: Banal ended the undefeated streak of Uruguay?s hero Caril Herrera who entered the ring with a 21-0, 13 KO?s record when he caught him with a cracking right that buckled his knees in round four and as he staggered across the ring waded into him as the Thai referee mercifully called a halt at 1:18 of the fourth round. Banal had earlier decked Herrera with a flurry of punches late in round three which seemed be aided by a push but in the end there was no doubting the power and the potential of the 17 year old southpaw who improved his record to 17-0-1 with 14 knockouts while Herrera whose handlers had earlier turned down title shots at Jorge Arce and Christrian Mijares dropped to 21-1 with 13 KO?s.
The victory by Banal in an IBF title eliminator for the No.1 ranking sets him in line for a title shot at Russia?s Dimitri Kirilov who is handled by celebrated trainer Freddie Roach, although Kirilov has a voluntary title defense available before a mandatory against Banal.
WBO Intercontinental junior featherweight champion Rey ?Boom Boom? Bautista continued his handlers efforts to re-build his confidence after the demoralizing first round KO at the hands of Daniel Ponce De Leon with a second round knockout over Mexican journeyman Gerardo Camargo.
Bautista started off with a vengeance dropping Camargo twice in the opening round but after the Mexican fought back gallantly and caught Bautista with a hard shot to the head which Bautista later admitted hurt him, he backed off giving the Mexican confidence to get more aggressive which in the end was his undoing.
Bautista rocked Camargo?s head right back with a deadly right uppercut and then nailed him with a cracking left hook and as he was going down caught him with a grazing right to send the game Mexican on the seat of his pants. Internationally respected referee Bruce McTavish counted to ten with Camargo still seated on the canvas and glancing at his corner with a stunned look in his eyes. The knockout came at 57 seconds of the second round.
Former junior flyweight title challenger Bert Batawang scored a seventh round knockout over Heri Amol of Indonesia with a hard left to the body while Philippine bantamweight champion Michael Domingo made short work of Thailand?s Themnimit Sor Chitpattana with a second round TKO to complete a clean sweep by the Philippines in the process establishing the country as the epicenter of professional boxing.
Roach who has long been enamored by the likeable Domingo boldly predicted he would be the Philippines next world champion.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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