By Rey Danseco
Reigning Paraguayan bantamweight champ Dario Azuaga i slated to arrive in Manila, Philippines on Friday, in preparation for his important non-title fight against world rated Gerry Peñalosa, eight days later in Antipolo City.
The first Paraguayan fighter to see action in the country, Azuaga’s expected arrival will be around 2 p.m with his trainer-manager Santos Alvares from more than a 20 hours trip from his hometown of Asuncion via Paraguayan, capital of Concepcion with a stopover in Buenos Aires in Argentina.
The fight, scheduled for 10-rounds at the bantamweight limit of 118 pounds, will serve as the main event of the Marc Roces’ Jemah Television live telecast card dubbed “Rage in December” over IBC Channel 13, from 7 to 9 pm on December 10 at Ynares Center.
Azuaga, a two-time bantamweight champion since 2003, is expected to test the aging Peñalosa’s capabilities and acquire the Filipino’s only world ranking, number ten in the International Boxing Federation (IBF).
The 31-year old Azuaga is a 12-year veteran of the game and fougth 76 times, more than 21 compared to Peñalosa (55).
Azuaga has a record of 66 wins, six loses and two draws, with 57 of those victories by knockout since turning pro in February 1993, four years after Peñalosa (48-5-2, 33 KOs) made his pro-debut, in May 1989.
Peñalosa, now 33-years old, two years older than Azuaga, will see action for the first time since winning his two comeback fights late last year (2004) with stoppage wins against Thai fighters. He defeated Samingkao Chutipol in two rounds in Mandaue City on Sept. 19, and the then he defeated unbeaten Bangsaen Sithpraprom in sevenrounds for the vacant WBF super flyweight title in Paranaque City on Nov. 27.
Azuaga had won six times, lost thrice and figured in two no contest decisions in his 11 championship fights under World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Organization (WBO) and for South American diadems in a span of four years from 1995 to June 2004, which ended when he was stopped in three rounds by reigning WBC fecarbox bantamweight king Cecilio Santos of Mexico.
Peñalosa, before facing Chutipol, went into a 21-month retirement after losing in his third attempt to reclaim the WBC superflywieght title, against Japan-based North Korean Masamori Tokuyama on Dec. 20, 2002 in Osaka, Japan.
Azuaga defended his national title for the second time in his latest fight, a rematch against Arnaldo Elias Romero Orrabalis on Sept. 23.
