By Ronnie Nathanielsz

 

2002 "Trainer of the Year" and former world junior welterweight and welterweight champion Buddy McGirt believes Filipino super flyweight Z "The Dream" Gorres can become a world champion if he continues to train in the US and stays focused.

 

Gorres scored a sensational TKO win over highly touted Glenn Donaire, a Filipino who lost to world-rated Fil-American Brian Viloria in the trials for the US Olympic team to the 2000 Sydney Olympics and was coming off an impressive third round TKO victory over Mexican Roberto Gomez in Oakland,  California last September 25. Gorres decked Donaire with a solid body shot early in the round after connecting with a couple of stiff jabs and although referee Jay Nady gave the 25 year old California based fighter some time to recover  he couldn't handle the flashy Gorres.

 

The Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation No. 1 ranked super flyweight faked with his right and then unleashed a perfectly timed right cross that ended the fight at 2:03 in the opening round. McGirt described the shot as"a beautiful hook" adding "after that the guy was looking for a way out." Gorres  improved to 19-1-1 with 11 knockouts while Donaire dropped to 13-2 with 8 KO's.

 

McGirt who trained Gorres for over a month at his gym in Orlando, Florida at the request of international promoter Murad Muhammad who was McGirt's promoter when he became world champion in two weight divisions told Manila Standard Today "Gorres definitely has a future.He will definitely be a world champion."

 

Gorres trained in McGirt's gym along with former world super flyweight champion Gerry Penalosa who is eager to get a shot at IBF bantamweight champion Rafael Marquez, brother of WBA/IBF featherweight king Juan Manuel Marquez. While McGirt also expressed confidence that  Penalosa at 32 years of age can once again become a world champion he wants him to have a tune-up fight before a world title shot.

 

WBC founding secretary general Rudy Salud who co-manages Gorres with Cebu boxing patron Tony Aldeguer has been supporting Penalosa although he is no longer his manager. Murad Muhammad has committed to get Penalosa a fight sometime in April and is also scheduling another  fight for Gorres. However, it was learned that Manny Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach had taken Penalosa to Pacquiao's new manager Shelly Finkel and that a lawyer who claimed he was a friend of Roach, Michael Koncz, had attempted to influence both Penalosa and Gorres to move out of their present camp, promising to get them fights. However nothing materialized and both Gorres and Penalosa are expected to resume training soon in preparation for fights being lined up by Murad Muhammad.

 

South Cotabato governor Manny Pinol has also requested Murad Muhammad to help promote the fights of talented, world-rated flyweight Diosdado Gabi who is handled by the governor, a noted boxing afficionado. Murad said he would be "happy to help" and said he was "honored" that governor Pinol had sought his assistance. Murad is building up a stable of Asian fighters to challenge the domination of the Mexicans under Top Rank promoter Bob Arum. Murad has also been given authority by weell-known businessman-sportsman Kusung Lee to negotiate the mandatory title defense of WBC featherweight champion Injin Chi. Kusung Lee is the manager of Injin Chi.