By Ronnie Nathanielsz
WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa who had turned down offers to fight on some of the big cards in the US including the forthcoming junior welterweight title fight between Paul Malignaggi and Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton cant get any more fights this year.
Penalosa’s manager Billy Keane in an overseas telephone conversation with insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports said “Gerry is gone for the rest of the year I think.”
Keane said “he turned down everything, there are no more dates.”
Penalosa was offered a title defense against Nestor Rocha for $125,000 but wanted more money and then tried to stage the fight in Tubod, Lanao del Norte but it fell through because of peace and order problems in the region.
A mandatory defense against Abner Mares didn’t push through on two counts since Penalosa wanted a purse of $250,000 while Golden Boy Promotions offered him $175,000. The title defense eventually failed to push through after Mares was diagnosed with a detached retina which meant he had to undergo surgery.
Penalosa then challenged WBO super bantamweight sensation Juan Manuel Lopez to stop hiding and face him on the Manny Pacquiao – Oscar De La Hoya card at the MGM Grand on December 6 but Lopez claimed Penalosa wanted $250,000 which was too much money that promoters were not prepared to pay him.
Besides, it was pointed out that adding Penalosa to the “Dream Match” fight card wouldn’t bring in any additional revenues since Pacquiao and De La Hoya were the sole attractions
