By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Former WBC super flyweight champion Gerry Penalosa faces the fight of his life when he battles Paraguay’s bantamweight champion Dario Azuaga in a ten round non-title bout at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo City on Saturday.
Penalosa who spent several months training in the US, first under 2002 “Trainer of the Year” and former two-division world champion Buddy McGirt and also had a short stint in famed cutman Lenny de Jesus’ gym in New York admitted that Azuaga was “a tough opponent with a strong right straight” which is the most effective weapon against a southpaw like Penalosa.
Penalosa who has a ring record of 48-5-2 with 33 knockouts is aiming at a world title shot against reigning bantamweight champion Rafael Marquez. McGirt had earlier told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that Penalosa had what it takes to once again become a world champion.
The eminent lawyer and WBC founding secretary general Rudy Salud who handled Penalosa for a couple of years but had an extremely amicable parting of the ways after three unsuccessful attempts at regaining the WBC super flyweight title said he too believes that Penalosa was technically the best fighter the Philippines has today and could well become a world champion despite being 33 years old. Salud said thats because Penalosa had no bad habits and never took a bad beating in the ring.
The 31 year old Azuaga who looks like a rock star rather than a boxer has a scary record of 57 knockouts in 66 wins and only 6 losses. 25 of his KO’s were in the very first round.
Penalosa told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today at a private dinner hosted by Marc Roces, president of Jemah Television which will air the fight over IBC 13 that he was “in top condition and the fans will see that I am ready to win a world title.” Penalosa who studied fight tapes of Azuaga said his aggressive, attacking style fits his counter-punching ability perfectly and promised fans “a great fight.”
