Saturday, June 16, 2007 Filipino pugs ready vs Mexican warriors
MEXICAN boxers were unforgiving in registering a five to one record against Thailand pugs the first time boxing's World Cup was staged in 2005. Are the Filipinos the next victims?
Easier said than done. With the likes of fast-rising boxing star Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and the ageless Gerry Peñalosa spearheading the Filipino campaign, the Philippines versus Mexico World Cup on August 11 promises to be a slam-bang affair between two excellent boxing nations.
Bautista, the 20-year-old wonder from Candijay, Bohol, gets the biggest break of his young career when he goes up against reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior featherweight champion Daniel Ponce de Leon in the main event of the explosive card presented Oscar dela Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions.
Peñalosa, the former world flyweight champion who is nearing the twilight of his career at age 34, gets another crack at the world title when he faces dangerous Johnny Gonzalez for the latter's WBO bantamweight crown.
The big card will be staged at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California, USA. Other Filipino boxers seeing action include Z "The Dream" Gorres, AJ Banal, Bert Batawang, who meets Francisco Rosas, and RP bantamweight champion Michael Domingo, who will take on Miguel Roman in a 122-lbs encounter.
Bautista is the WBO intercontinental and WBO youth super bantamweight champion. He last fought on May five when he decision Sergio Medina.
