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Mexican brawler Jorge Arce is being lined up as a future challenger for WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Peñalosa and if the fight materializes, it will likely be in a Las Vegas pay-per-view card.
“Negotiations are going on,” Peñalosa told The STAR yesterday. “Billy (Keane) is talking to the Arce group. I understand Arce is interested because he wants a world title. If Arce wins his next fight and we find the right promoter, it’s a deal.”
Arce, 28, is booked to face Tomas Rojas for the WBC Latino bantamweight crown in Las Vegas on Sept. 16.
Peñalosa is managed by Manny Pacquiao, Freddie Roach and Keane who split 25 percent of his purses. Pacquiao, however, doesn’t take his cut and gives it to Peñalosa. In Peñalosa’s last fight, Pacquiao didn’t only refuse his share but also coughed up $10,000 out of his own pocket as a bonus for knocking out Jhonny Gonzalez for the WBO crown.
Peñalosa, 35, took only a week’s rest after wresting the title from Gonzalez last month and is now back doing roadwork and drills in the gym.
“If I fight Arce, I will use a different plan than what I used for Gonzalez,” said Peñalosa. “I will use speed and my boxing skills. I won’t fight Arce toe to toe because I know he’s strong and he likes to brawl. He’s a little slow so I’ll take advantage of that. I’ll use my experience against him. It will be an exciting fight, for sure.”
Arce has a 46-4 record, with 35 KOs. Last April, he dropped a decision to Cristian Mijares in a bloody WBC superflyweight title fight in San Antonio. The setback was his first after 26 wins in a row. He previously lost to Michael Carbajal, Victor Burgos and Omar Romero.
Another possible opponent is WBO superbantamweight champion Daniel Ponce de Leon who scored a disputed 12-round decision over Peñalosa last March.
“My dream is to win a third title,” said Peñalosa who took the WBC superflyweight diadem in 1997. “I want to fight Ponce de Leon again. He doesn’t mind fighting in the Philippines but he’s asking for something like $500,000. I don’t know if there’s a promoter willing to pay him that much to fight here. I will beat him next time.”
Peñalosa said he will be more prepared for Ponce de Leon in a rematch.
“I didn’t train enough for our first fight,” said Peñalosa. “If we meet again, I will be better trained. Freddie wants me to throw more punches, be more active and aggressive. I know the entire Philippines will be behind me because I’ll be out to avenge Boom Boom Bautista’s defeat, too.”
Peñalosa said he will keep on fighting until his body tells him it’s time to retire.
“I still want to fight,” said Peñalosa. “As long as I can give a good showing, I’ll continue fighting. If I can’t fight Arce or Ponce de Leon, I’ll try (WBC superbantamweight champion) Israel Vazquez. But before anything else, I want to defend my title at least once in the Philippines because I owe it to the fans who never lost hope in me coming back.”
Peñalosa is the oldest Filipino to win a world title and his second championship came 10 years after claiming his first. He and older brother Dodie Boy are the world’s only two-time world champion siblings in history.
Peñalosa said he never doubted for a moment he would dethrone Gonzalez in their Sacramento bout.
“I knew he had a problem with the weight and he would run out of gas,” said Peñalosa. “I gave him up to six rounds. My strategy was to tire him out. It was just like what Manny did to (Erik) Morales in their second fight. I let Gonzalez go in the first few rounds then he was mine. That’s exactly what happened. I hit him in the body and that was it.”
Peñalosa said Pacquiao encouraged him before the fight.
“Manny phoned and reminded me to be more aggressive, to put a lot of pressure on Gonzalez,” said Peñalosa. “He told me I would win and promised a $10,000 bonus.”
Peñalosa was behind on two judges scorecards when he knocked out Gonzalez at 2:45 of the seventh round. Judge Steve Morrow had it, 58-56, and judge C. J. Ross, 59-55, for Gonzalez while judge Ralph McKnight saw it, 59-all, after six rounds.
“Negotiations are going on,” Peñalosa told The STAR yesterday. “Billy (Keane) is talking to the Arce group. I understand Arce is interested because he wants a world title. If Arce wins his next fight and we find the right promoter, it’s a deal.”
Arce, 28, is booked to face Tomas Rojas for the WBC Latino bantamweight crown in Las Vegas on Sept. 16.
Peñalosa is managed by Manny Pacquiao, Freddie Roach and Keane who split 25 percent of his purses. Pacquiao, however, doesn’t take his cut and gives it to Peñalosa. In Peñalosa’s last fight, Pacquiao didn’t only refuse his share but also coughed up $10,000 out of his own pocket as a bonus for knocking out Jhonny Gonzalez for the WBO crown.
Peñalosa, 35, took only a week’s rest after wresting the title from Gonzalez last month and is now back doing roadwork and drills in the gym.
“If I fight Arce, I will use a different plan than what I used for Gonzalez,” said Peñalosa. “I will use speed and my boxing skills. I won’t fight Arce toe to toe because I know he’s strong and he likes to brawl. He’s a little slow so I’ll take advantage of that. I’ll use my experience against him. It will be an exciting fight, for sure.”
Arce has a 46-4 record, with 35 KOs. Last April, he dropped a decision to Cristian Mijares in a bloody WBC superflyweight title fight in San Antonio. The setback was his first after 26 wins in a row. He previously lost to Michael Carbajal, Victor Burgos and Omar Romero.
Another possible opponent is WBO superbantamweight champion Daniel Ponce de Leon who scored a disputed 12-round decision over Peñalosa last March.
“My dream is to win a third title,” said Peñalosa who took the WBC superflyweight diadem in 1997. “I want to fight Ponce de Leon again. He doesn’t mind fighting in the Philippines but he’s asking for something like $500,000. I don’t know if there’s a promoter willing to pay him that much to fight here. I will beat him next time.”
Peñalosa said he will be more prepared for Ponce de Leon in a rematch.
“I didn’t train enough for our first fight,” said Peñalosa. “If we meet again, I will be better trained. Freddie wants me to throw more punches, be more active and aggressive. I know the entire Philippines will be behind me because I’ll be out to avenge Boom Boom Bautista’s defeat, too.”
Peñalosa said he will keep on fighting until his body tells him it’s time to retire.
“I still want to fight,” said Peñalosa. “As long as I can give a good showing, I’ll continue fighting. If I can’t fight Arce or Ponce de Leon, I’ll try (WBC superbantamweight champion) Israel Vazquez. But before anything else, I want to defend my title at least once in the Philippines because I owe it to the fans who never lost hope in me coming back.”
Peñalosa is the oldest Filipino to win a world title and his second championship came 10 years after claiming his first. He and older brother Dodie Boy are the world’s only two-time world champion siblings in history.
Peñalosa said he never doubted for a moment he would dethrone Gonzalez in their Sacramento bout.
“I knew he had a problem with the weight and he would run out of gas,” said Peñalosa. “I gave him up to six rounds. My strategy was to tire him out. It was just like what Manny did to (Erik) Morales in their second fight. I let Gonzalez go in the first few rounds then he was mine. That’s exactly what happened. I hit him in the body and that was it.”
Peñalosa said Pacquiao encouraged him before the fight.
“Manny phoned and reminded me to be more aggressive, to put a lot of pressure on Gonzalez,” said Peñalosa. “He told me I would win and promised a $10,000 bonus.”
Peñalosa was behind on two judges scorecards when he knocked out Gonzalez at 2:45 of the seventh round. Judge Steve Morrow had it, 58-56, and judge C. J. Ross, 59-55, for Gonzalez while judge Ralph McKnight saw it, 59-all, after six rounds.
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