By Ronnie Nathanielsz
WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa (54-6-2, 36 KO’s) is bound to surprise WBO super bantamweight champion, the undefeated Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez (24-0, 22 KO’s) when they clash at the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon , Puerto Rico on April 25.
Conditioning guru Alex Ariza who is also working with Penalosa aside from Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao told BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that Penalosa “looks great. He looks phenomenal.”
Ariza said Penalosa sparred eight rounds and that trainer Freddie Roach was “really pleased.”
In fact, the three-time winner of the “Best Trainer of the Year” award is concentrating fully on preparing Penalosa for the Lopez fight since the WBO champion trains in the morning before Roach’s prized possession Manny Pacquiao steps into the gym.
Penalosa is sharply focused on his upcoming fight and his wife Goody who leaves for Los Angeles next week said Gerry was pleased at the attention he is being given by Roach and his manager Billy Keane who asked that Ariza also be assigned to work on Penalosa’s conditioning.
Penalosa trained alongside IBF/IBO flyweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire in the high altitude of Baguio City in an effort to strengthen his physical condition for what is expected to be a dangerous fight against the Puerto Rican sensation Lopez who won the 122 pound world title with a spectacular first round knockout over then champion Daniel Ponce De Leon.
Lopez has said “this is a great opportunity for me given that I’m not only going to be facing a great champion, but also that I’ll be doing so in front of my fans here in Puerto Rico. I’m sure that it’ll be a great fight and I’m very excited.”
Although he is coming off the longest layoff of his career Lopez has been working out in the gym and says he has had “plenty of time to prepare myself and to get in shape. I want to give my fans a great fight on April 25.”
Lopez said he doesn’t want to just look good he wants to be the first fighter to knockout Penalosa. While some boxing writers and Penalosa himself have raised some doubts about Lopez’ true talent, the Puerto Rican is hoping that a win over a two-time world champion like Penalosa will give him that added credibility.
