by Ronnie Nathanielsz
Former WBC super flyweight champion Gerry Penalosa showed he still has it when he scored an impressive ten round decision over gutsy Paraguayan bantamweight champion Dario Azuaga late Saturday at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo City on the outskirts of Metro Manila.
The 33 year old Penalosa put on a classic display of counter-punching to connect with telling combinations against an onrushing Azuaga who simply couldn’t find the range against the elusive Filipino southpaw who dropped him twice in the later rounds with terrific combinations.
All three judges, Capt. Ramon Flores, Ricardo Canlas and Salvador Lopez scored the fight a shutout for Penalosa with identical scores of 100-88.
Although Azuaga had promised to be the aggressor from the opening bell it was Penalosa who carried the fight to the rugged Paraguayan catching him by surprise and ripping punches to the body that eventually took their toll on the game Azuaga.
Penalosa decked the Paraguayan champion with a vicious combination in the eighth round after earlier sending him crashing into the ropes right across the ring with a cracking right straight.
Penalosa decked Azuaga once again in the ninth round with a perfectly-timed uppercut that sent him crashing to the canvas flat on his back but to the surprise of the small crowd of fight fans who braved heavy rains and monstrous traffic jams to get to the venue, Azuaga beat the count and told international referee Ver Abainza he was ready to continue.
A supremely confident Penalosa chased Azuaga around the ring in the final round but couldn’t catch him with any damaging punches as the Paraguayan appeared content to survive although it was a tribute to him that despite the battering he took, he never clinched even once.
In a post-fight interview Penalosa told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that one overhead right by Azuaga was strong and really hurt him but he was confident he could handle the Paraguayan champion. Penalosa said he felt good despite the thirteen month layoff and said the fight was a perfect workout for bigger fights ahead, including a hoped for title fight against IBF champion Rafael Marquez.
With his impressive win Penalosa who is ranked No. 10 by the IBF is bound to move up in the ratings. Penalosa improved his record to 49-5-2 with 33 knockouts while Azuaga dropped to 66-7-2 with 57 KO’s.
The fight was telecast “live” by Jemah Television over IBC 13.
