By Ronnie Nathanielsz
WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa is eager to step into the ring to take on Mexican German Meraz in a crucial ten-round tune-up fight in preparation for his huge battle with WBO super bantamweight champion Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez on April 25 in Puerto Rico.
Penalosa who arrived from his training camp in Baguio City where he prepared alongside IBF/IBO flyweight champion Nonito “The Flash” Donaire said he was in “great shape and feeling good” as he looked forward to a hard fight against Meraz as a stepping stone to what may well be the biggest fight of his life against the hard-hitting Lopez.
Penalosa told insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that he would wind down training for the Meraz fight at Rex “Wakee” Salud’s gym in Cebu City in preparation for the February 21 card at the Cebu Coliseum promoted by Sammy Gello-ani and vice governor Manny Pinol. Penalosa who leaves for Cebu on Monday said he would be joined in training by Donaire.
The 22 year old Meraz has a record of 20-11-1 with 8 knockouts and is coming off back-to-back TKO wins over Juan Chabelas whom he first stopped in five rounds on November 8 and then stopped in four rounds last December 13.
The veteran Penalosa boasts of a 53-6-2, 36 KO’s record and as always, has trained hard for this fight realizing how important it is in terms of his big title fight against the sensational Puerto Rican “Juanma” Lopez.
In the first of three supporting main events Rolando “Smooth Operator” Magnabua who is undefeated with 11 wins, 6 by knockout clashes with Mexico’s Jose Angel “Bocho” Cota who has a record of 6 knockouts in 8 wins with 3 defeats for the WBO Oriental bantamweight interim title.
In his last fight Cota won by a first round knockout over Alejandro Padilla last October 4 and has fought some solid opponents including Luis Maldonado who fought and lost to Donaire in an IBF/IBO flyweight title bout in December 2007.
An exciting showdown for the WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight championship between southpaws Jason Egera (10-2, 5 KO’s) and undefeated prospect Jundy “Pretty Bpy” Maraon (12-0-1, 9 KO’s) is expected to spice up the fight card.
Egera is coming off a 7th round TKO victory over Pitchitchok Singmanassak last July 8 while the 23 year old Maraon who like Magbanua is from the “Braveheart” boxing stable of North Cotabato vice governor Pinol scored a 10 round unanimous decision over Ruben Santillanosa after dropping him in the very first round with a stunning left. Santillanosa has campaigned extensively in Australia.
In the third supporting main event Glenn “The Rock” Porras (19-2, 14 KO’s) who knocked out Richard Laano last December 20 takes on Thailand’s Daothon Sithsoey in a ten round bout.