PE?ALOSA LOSES IN GALLANT EFFORT
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 18 Mar 2007
Former WBC super flyweight champion Gerry Pe?alosa went up two divisions to fight the bigger and stronger WBO super bantamweight champion Daniel Ponce De Leon but after a gallant effort lost a unanimous twelve round decision at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, yesterday.
However, the lopsided scorecards of judges Chuck Giampa, Dave Moretti and Nelson Vazquez lived up to the growing notoriety of the WBO as well as the Nevada State Athletic Commission which chooses the judges for fights in Las Vegas. When the decision was announced the huge audience watching the fight “live” in the ABS-CBN studios in the telecast hosted by Korina Sanchez let out a collective boo and cries of disbelief.
In an absolutely unbelievable assessment, judge Dave Moretti had Ponce De Leon winning every round for a 120-108 shutout while Chuck Giampa who last February 25 conspired with Raul Caiz Jr and referee Samuel Viruet to rob Z ”The Dream” Gorres of the WBO super flyweight title against Fernando Montiel had Ponce De Leon the winner 119-109 which was the same scorecard turned in by Nelson Vazquez.
WBC founding secretary general Rudy Salud who for some years managed Pe?alosa said we could all be proud of Penaloda’s performance saying “he surpassed all his past performances in title fights against In Joo Cho and Masamori Tokuyama and surprised all of us with the way he fought.” Salud blamed what he termed “a ridiculous rule adopted a few years ago that mandates judges to have a winner in every round even if it should be a draw. As a result the many close rounds were scored for the champion because he threw more punches.”
Salud said Pe?alosa simply couldn’t cope with the reach, height and power advantage of Ponce De Leon but hoped that he would be given a crack at the bantamweight title of any of the world organizations because he believed Penalosa still had it in him to become a world champion.
While Pe?alosa, a 21-1 underdog according to his wife Goody, scored with effective and crisp combinations the champion hardly stopped throwing punches except in the last three rounds after he hurt his left hand and decided to stay out of Pe?alosa’s range which frustrated the 34 year old southpaw . After the fight Ponce De Leon wore shades to cover his bruises and indicated he was ready to give Penalosa a rematch.
Pe?alosa demonstrated his superior skills in blocking or avoiding many of Ponce De Leon’s punches but the punch stats eventually proved decisive with the champion throwing more than 100 punches per round to outwork Penalosa by a landslide. Total punches thrown were 1399 to 481 in Ponce De Leon’s favor.
Pe?alosa caught Ponce De Leon with a hard right to the side of the head in round two but after the champion was all over Pe?alosa in the fourth round the game challenger responded to the pleadings of cornerman Justin Fortune to throw more combinations and took the fifth round with some well-timed shots. A left flush on the face of Ponce De Leon appeared to give Penalosa the edge in round seven and while Ponce De Leon threw lots of punches in the eighth Penalosa rocked him with a solid right towards the end of the round.
Going into the final round Fortune who was substituting for celebrated trainer Freddie Roach who was busy preparing Oscar De La Hoya for his blockbuster showdown with Floyd Mayweather on May 5 told Pe?alosa he had to go for a knockout but sensing he had the fight won the champion continued to dance out of trouble to retain his title and improve his record to 33-1 with 28 KO’s. Pe?alosa dropped to 51-6-2 with 35 KO’s.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Meet Jayr Raquinel: The Filipino Sensation Taking the Super Flyweight Division by Storm
By Carlos Costa, Mon, 10 Nov 2025NONITO DONAIRE HOPES TO BECOME TO BECOME WORLD CHAMPION AGAIN
By Maloney L. Samaco, Sun, 09 Nov 2025Astrobio loses by TKO in 7th round
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 09 Nov 2025UNDEFEATED KNOCKOUT MONSTER VERGIL ORTIZ JR. DESTROYS ERICKSON LUBIN IN SECOND-ROUND
Sun, 09 Nov 2025Manny Pacquiao Arrives in LA to Oversee Son Jimuel's Highly Anticipated Pro Debut
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 09 Nov 2025Robert Racasa Shines for the Philippines on First Day of World Memory Championships
By Marlon Bernardino, Sun, 09 Nov 2025P20k for 42k winners in 3rd SDSPPO
By Lito delos Reyes, Sun, 09 Nov 2025Weights Set for Tomorrow’s Sanman Boxing Show in General Santos City
Sat, 08 Nov 2025Vergil Ortiz vs. Erickson Lubin: Can Lubin Tip the Ortiz/Ennis Apple Cart?
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 08 Nov 2025Gibbons’ ‘Thrilla’ regrets
By Joaquin Henson, Sat, 08 Nov 2025Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Erickson Lubin Set for Explosive Showdown in Fort Worth
Sat, 08 Nov 2025Ring Officials Announced for Michael Hunter Vs Eli Frankham - York Hall, 5th December
Sat, 08 Nov 2025Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: The Baseball in the Sulaimán Family
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Sat, 08 Nov 2025Shields signs $8 million multi year contract with Salita Promotions
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sat, 08 Nov 2025A TIBUTE TO VICTOR CONTE
Sat, 08 Nov 2025