Penalosa and Braveheart Boxers Ready for Battle
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 17 Feb 2009
WBO world bantamweight champ Gerry Penalosa looked sharp in the public workout held Tuesday afternoon at the New Cebu Coliseum. The event was held as a sneak preview for the Battle of the Best Bantamweights fight card this coming Saturday February 21 at the same venue.
Penalosa - accompanied by his brothers Jonathan and Dodie ? showcased his footwork and crisp combination punching as he banged the mitts for two rounds. He will be facing Mexican German Meraz in the main event.
Boxers featured in the undercard also displayed their wares for the public. Jundy Maraon had a work out using the mitts with trainer Nonito Donaire, Sr. Rolando ?Smooth Operator? Magbanua sparred with Ruel Mangan. Other three round sparring sessions featured Glen Porras, Glen Gonzales, Lorenzo Villanueva, Jerome Jabel, Edwin Dapudng and Rommel Asanjo.
Vice-governor Manny Pinol has informed that the final press conference for the Penalosa-Meraz showdown will take place on Wednesday, 11AM, at the Cebu Grand Hotel in Cebu.
Penalosa said that this may very well be his final bout in the Philippines. He chose Cebu City for sentimental reasons. His boxing family made their name here. They are part of the history of Cebu Coliseum boxing. This is his way of thanking his fans.
There is a new generation of boxing fans ? still in their early teens - who never got to see Gerry during his reign as WBC superflyweight champ during the late 1990?s. There is also a new batch of fans just started getting hooked to boxing due to Manny Pacquiao.
They should watch Penalosa now. He is the best scientific boxer this country has produced. His impeccable skills are the reason for his longevity and for the two titles in two different weights in two different decades. He will attempt to win a third world title this April in Puerto Rico against WBO superbantamweight champ Juan Manuel Lopez.
Cebu fight fans should also make this an opportunity to watch and size up the up and coming boxers from Mindanao fighting in the undercard.
Top photo: WBO world bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa (R) does the mitts with brother-trainer Jonathan Penalosa in a public workout at the Cebu Coliseum Tuesday. Penalosa faces Mexican German Meraz on Saturday as a tuneup fight before his huge fight with sensational and undefeated Puerto Rican superbantam champion Juan Manuel Lopez on April 25 in Puerto Rico.
Up-and-coming bantam Jundy Maraon (L) works out with top trainer Nonito Donaire, Sr. at the Cebu Coliseum Tuesday.
World title hopeful Rolando Magbanua (R) spars with Roel Mangan Tuesday at the Cebu Coliseum.
Photos by Dong Secuya.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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