WBO ORDERS PONCE DE LEON TO FIGHT MANDATORY
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 04 Apr 2007
The World Boxing Organization (WBO) has informed reigning superbantam champion Daniel Ponce de Leon of Mexico to prepare himself to fight his mandatory challenger in his next fight, the Mexican website Esto has reported.
Ponce de Leon's mandatory challenger will be known on May 5 when No. 1 ranked Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista of the Philippines faces No. 2 ranked Sergio Manuel Medina of Argentina in the undercard of the De la Hoya-Mayweather superfight in Las Vegas for the right to face Ponce de Leon. Both Bautista (22-0 17KOs) and Medina (28-0 16KOs) are undefeated coming into the May 5 eliminator.
If Bautista wins against Medina, the De Leon-Bautista championship fight will likely headline the planned WBO World Cup between Mexico and the Philippines to be held in Cebu or Manila on August or September this year which would also feature three other world championship bouts. Golden Boy Promotions had earlier disclosed other possible pairings for the World Cup are as follows: the rematch between superfly champ Fernando Montiel and Z Gorres, Mexican bantamweight king Jhonny Gonzales will take on Gerry Pe?alosa and minifly champ Hugo Cazares of Mexico will defend his title against Bert Batawang of the Philippines.
Daniel Ponce de Leon is fresh from a successful defense of his title last March 17 in Las Vegas against Filipino former world champion Gerry Pe?alosa in what turned out to be a highly unpopular and widely criticized decision win.
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