SALUD DOWNPLAYS CLAIM THAT DODIE BOY JR WAS HAMMERED IN SPARRING
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 01 Jan 2009
Boxing man Rex ?Wakee? Salud has downplayed claims that promising Dodie Boy Penalosa Jr took a beating on two occasions when sparring with Israel Salud at his gym in Cebu.
The report appeared on the PhilBoxing forum by an individual who claimed he saw what happened during the sparring even as the Cuban coaches of the Philippine amateur boxers as well as ABAP vice president Manny Lopez and Roger Fortaleza said Dodie Boy Jr was good and had lots of promise.
In fact, the Cuban coaches and ABAP officials have been trying to persuade Dodie Boy Jr?s father, former world champion Dodie Boy Penalosa and uncle, WBO champion Gerry Penalosa not to allow Dodie Boy Jr to turn pro and to keep him in the amateur ranks.
Salud told www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that the report Penalosa was badly beaten in sparring were not accurate although he did say Dodie Boy Jr ?had a hard time? against Salud.
However, Gerry Penalosa said he had seen the same post on the forum and checked with his brother Dodie Boy who told him ?the only good sparring was with a boxer at the ALA Gym. It was excellent sparring but at the Wakee Salud Gym it was nothing.?
Salud is a find of Manny Pacquiao?s longtime Filipino trainer Restituto ?Buboy? Fernandez from Bicol where Fernandez and his family reside.
Fernandez said Salud?s real name is Israel Sapo and they decided to change it to Salud. He said the 18 year old stands around 5?7?.
Gerry Penalosa himself said his nephew had laughed off claims that he was beaten up by Salud in sparring but said Dodie Boy Jr admitted he had a tough time with one sparring partner at the ALA Gym of boxing patron Tony Aldeguer.
Aldeguer identified the boxer as Joseph Bon Minoza, a former national champion who has a pro record of 5-1. Aldeguer confirmed that Dodie Boy Jr had a difficult time against the pro but conceded that the young Penalosa is good but is still inexperienced and has a lot to learn which is the same observation of Buboy Fernandez.
Fernandez said ?I like that guy (Dodie Boy Jr). He has style and his own strategy.?
In his second round Referee Stopped Contest win over Jonel Borbon at the Mandaluyong Gym last Saturday, Penalosa showed flashes of skill and lots of power in his body shots but was caught on a couple of occasions by a straight right from Borbon who wilted under the onslaught of body blows apparently due to the fact that he took the bout on short notice.
Viva Sports covered the fight card for ?The Main Event? and in our own assessment Dodie Boy Jr had the basic talent but needed to work primarily on his jab and to gain more experience to realize his true potential.
Newly elected ABAP president Ricky Vargas indicated he would like to keep Dodie Boy Jr in the amateur ranks and was willing to discuss with his father what it would entail. The hope is that the young Penalosa would be among the boxers capable of giving the Philippines its first elusive Olympic gold medal in the London Games of 2012.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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