WORLD boxing champions Donnie “The Snake” Nietes and Gerry “Fearless” Peñalosa shone the brightest stars among Cebu’s sports stars of 2007 as they were feted as co-Athletes of the Year in last night’s 26th Sportswriters Association of Cebu-San Miguel Corporation (SAC-SMC) All-Cebu Sports Awards at the Laguna Garden Cafe.
This is the second straight year that two athletes share the SAC top award. The previous awardees were billiards artist Antonio “Gaga” Gabica and tennis wizard Salle Mae Siso.
Nietes and Peñalosa, who both nurtured their careers under the wings of the world-renowned ALA Boxing Gym, were conferred with the highest honor for their outstanding exploits in the ring arena.
Record
The 25-year-old Nietes (22-1-3, 13KOs) wrested the World Boxing Organization (WBO) minimumweight title with a 12-round round unanimous decision victory over Thai Pornsawan Kratingdaenggym on September 30 last year at the Pacific grand ballroom of Waterfront-Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
Aside from becoming RP’s fifth world title-holder of the year, Nietes also carved history as the first ever world champion from the fabled ALA Stable of Antonio “Bidoy” L. Aldeguer, himself a three-time SAC “Sportsman of the Year” awardee.
A month before Nietes’ historic feat, Peñalosa (52-6-2, 35KOs) made his countrymen proud when he dethroned Mexican Jhonny Gonzales via an earth-shaking seventh round stoppage to snatch the WBO bantamweight crown in the Boxing World Cup on August 11, 2007 at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California.
The 35-year-old Peñalosa was joined on the podium by ALA Boys Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista, Z “The Dream” Gorres, AJ “Bazooka” Banal, and Michael “Sunday Punch” Domingo, who also comprised the victorious Team Philippines in the prestigious Boxing World Cup.
Nietes and Peñalosa, who both hail from Negros Occidental but learned the ropes of boxing here in Cebu, are currently in deep training for their upcoming title defenses.
Nietes will make the first defense of his WBO belt against Daniel Reyes on April 18 at the Aviation Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, while Peñalosa will put his WBO 118-pound throne on the line against Thai Ratanachai Sor Vorapin on April 6 at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Share of fame
The major and minor awardees also had their fair share of the limelight during the memorable affair graced by Philippine Sports Commission chairman William “Butch” Ramirez, Cebuano basketball star Dondon Hontiveros, SMC’s Romelinda “Girlie”
Garces, and outgoing SAC president and Cebu Daily News sports editor Enrico “Rick” C. Gabuya.
Ramirez also formally inducted into office the new set of SAC officers led by Sun.Star sports columnist John Z. Pages as president. Pages was joined by Sun.Star Superbalita sports editor Emilio Migallen Jr. as vice-president, The Freeman’s Caecent No-ot-Magsumbol and Sun.Star’s Marian Gladys Baring as secretaries, The Freeman sports editor Emmanuel B. Villaruel as Treasurer, Cebu Daily News’ Brian Ochoa as Auditor and Sun.Star sports editor Michael Jerome T. Limpag as PRO. (Pooled report)
