Wednesday, October 15, 2008 Peñalosa wants to fight Lopez in Pacquiao undercard By Henry C. Villalva
SAN Carlos City, Negros Occidental native and reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight champion Gerry Peñalosa is not only aching to fight WBO super bantamweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez as soon as possible, he wants it in the undercard of the much anticipated Oscar dela Hoya-Manny Pacquiao December 6 non-title tiff in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Peñalosa, the Athlete of the Year co-awardee in 2007 of the Sports Communicators Organization of the Philippines (Scoop) Bacolod, told an interview with Manila sports writers after his protégé featherweight Michael Fareñas beat a Thai patsy in 78 seconds last Saturday in a packed Mandaluyong City venue: "I want Juan Manual Lopez... I want no other fighter."
"Stop hiding, I want to fight you..." the Negrense champion emphasized.
Lopez, a Puerto Rican sensation (23-0, 21 KOs) won the super bantamweight crown by way of a stunning first round knockout of Daniel Ponce De Leon, the fighter who defeated Peñalosa (53-6-2, 36 KOs) on points in a title fight last year, which many Filipinos felt the Negrense could have won.
Peñalosa, who shared the Scoop Bacolod Negrense Athlete of the Year award last year with WBO minimumweight titlist Donnie 'Ahas' Nietes of Murcia, Negros Occidental and Barangay Granada, Bacolod City, revealed to newsmen he told his manager Billy Keane to negotiate a fight with Lopez, hopefully in the undercard of the dream match between Pacquiao and Dela Hoya.
Peñalosa also confirmed the rush to arrange a fight with Lopez came as an aftermath of his postponed title defense against Nestor Rocha, which was earlier scheduled in Tubod, Lanao Del Norte but which was cancelled due to the deteriorating security situation in the area.
Peñalosa said he expects to be informed of the results of Keane's efforts in a couple of days.
He is currently training under renowned trainer Freddie Roach at the latter's Wild Card Gym in LA in preparation for what he hopes to be a big fight in the US before he decides to retire from professional boxing at age 36.
Known for his no-nonsense style of boxing, Peñalosa has remained popular with fight fans elsewhere in the country. He was given a rousing ovation when he was introduced to fans who packed the Mandaluyong Gym during Fareñas' fight.
