ARUM SAYS RP DESERVES THE BEST FIGHTS
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 07 Dec 2009
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has said the Philippines deserves the best fights because “any country that can produce a Manny Pacquiao deserves to get the best in boxing” even as he announced that he would stage four “Pinoy Power” fight cards in 2010.
Arum who signed a two-year deal with the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN during a quick visit to Manila said the first big “Pinoy Power III” card will take place at the Las Vegas Hilton on February 13 headlined by WBA super flyweight interim champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire (22-1, 14 KO’s) who will battle Gerson Guerrero, the reigning North American Boxing Federation champion and the winner of a WBC title eliminator last June 13.
Guerrero scored a 10th round TKO win over Enrique Quevedo in capturing the NABF title and winning the WBC title eliminator.
Donaire, on the other hand scored a twelve round unanimous decision over Panama’s Rafael “El Torito” C oncepcion in a clash for the WBA interim title which Concepcion lost on the scales by being well over the 115 pound limit.
Also on the Top Rank card will be featherweight Bernabe Concepcion (27-3-1, 15 KO’s) who will take on Puerto Rican southpaw Mario Santiago (21-1-1, 14 KO’s) whom Arum described as a tough opponent having drawn with WBO champion Steven Luevano in a title fight on June 28, 2008 and beaten Morris Chule by an eight round split decision last October 17.
Former two-division world champion Gerry Penalosa (54-7-2, 36 KO’s) , the veteran southpaw will go up against former world champion Eric Morel (41-2, 21 KO’s) of Puerto Rico in a bantamweight title eliminator while Arum indicated he would try to use his persuasive powers to get WBO champion Fernando Montiel of Mexico to take on Michael Domingo who is a replacement for Z “The Dream” Gorres whose career was regrettably cut short by brain surgery following a smashing victory of Luis Melendez of Colombia last November 13.
Top Rank’s respected matchmaker Bruce Trampler who will soon be inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame told us that Morel had turned down the offer to fight Domingo but gave no reason for the rejection. However, Arum appeared confident he could persuade Montiel to take the fight.
In addressing ABS-CBN Chairman and CEO Gabby Lopez, Arum said “I promise I will supply you with the best in boxing and I know you will showcase it here for the Filipino people like no other television entity in the Philippines.”
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
A New King, A New Challenger: Turki Alalshikh Proposes Crawford-Benavidez While Canelo Alvarez Faces Defeat with Humility
By Dong Secuya, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Highly Questionable Title Eliminator
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Yoseline Perez Earns Silver Medal at Inaugural World Boxing Championships
Mon, 15 Sep 202521-year-old Filipino wins at Germany rapid chess tournament
By Marlon Bernardino, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Nagoya Nightmare: Naoya Inoue Notches One-Sided Decision over Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Mon, 15 Sep 2025Inoue’s Philippine Connection: Which Pinoy Super Bantamweight Could Challenge “The Monster?”
By Carlos Costa, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Yoseline Perez Advances to the Finals at the World Boxing Championships Perez Set to Face Chinese Taipei’s Hsiao-Wen Huang for 54-Kilogram World Title
Mon, 15 Sep 2025Canelo Gets Outboxed, Loses Undisputed Title to Crawford
By Carlos Costa, Sun, 14 Sep 2025A Masterpiece of Boxing: Terence Crawford Dethrones Canelo Alvarez in Historic Showdown
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025LEWIS CROCKER IS CROWNED THE NEW IBF WORLD WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION
Sun, 14 Sep 2025Battle of Undefeated: Callum Walsh Vanquishes Fernando Vargas Jr.
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Undercard Inferno: Mbilli and Martinez Deliver a Super Middleweight War Ending in a Thrilling Draw
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Crawford to defy odds?
By Joaquin Henson, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Clash of Titans: The Final Predictions for Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025Weigh-In Results: Naoya Inoue vs. Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Sun, 14 Sep 2025