FORMER world champion and GerryPens Promotions head Gerry Peñalosa plans to promote a boxing show in Cebu as soon as the Covid-19 pandemic ends.
“After Covid, I will promote an event in Cebu,” Gerry Peñalosa told SunStar Cebu. “Maybe in Mandaue (Mandaue Sports and Cultural Center) or at the Hoops Dome. I planned to have it at the Cebu Coliseum, but it has no air-conditioning.”
Peñalosa, a two-division world champion, will feature his nephew Dave Peñalosa and 20-year-old former youth national team member Criztian Pitt Laurente in his event here in Cebu.
“I will let Dave fight for a regional belt,” he said. “I’ll first be looking for an opponent and which organization will approve of it.”
The 29-year-old Dave fought thrice in 2019. He opened up the year by winning the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental featherweight title with a fourth round technical knockout of Mexican Marcos Cardenas on Feb. 16, 2019 at the SM City North Edsa Skydome. He then suffered his first career defeat after losing a unanimous decision at the hands of Lerato Dlamini in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in a World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver featherweight belt on July 12, 2019. He bounced back before the end of 2019 with a first round stoppage of Virgil Puton at the Elorde Sports Complex.
According to Peñalosa, he’ll have Dave fight against either a foreigner or an experienced Filipino fighter.
“Maybe a foreigner. I’m also okay with a Filipino who is worth it. If ever it will be a Filipino, he has to be a good opponent,” said Peñalosa.
The 20-year-old Laurente will most likely be in the main supporting bout.
Dave is 16-1 with 12 knockouts, while Laurente is 5-0 with three knockouts. (EKA)