24.06.08 – By Joseph Boyle: This Filipino World Boxing Champion started his professional career at a tender age fighting seasoned tough men in a harsh environment. This southpaw, with the great Freddie Roach in his corner, continues to amaze boxing fans with brutal finishing shots. At this stage, anyone would be forgiven if an image of a Manny Pacquiao finishing flurry flashed into their heads. However, the Filipino champion I speak of is ‘Fearless’ Gerry Penalosa, a two-weight World Champion, and current holder of the WBO’s version of the title at Bantamweight..
Just this weekend, we saw the retirement of Wayne McCullough. This got me thinking of one or two parallels that exist between the respective careers of Wayne and Gerry Penalosa, and is what inspired this piece. As was previously said, way back in 1989 Penalosa began his career at the early age of 17, and fought a lot of tough cookies on the pro circuit in the Philippines. After 30-odd fights at Super-Flyweight, Gerry got his first shot at a world title, and traveled to Japan to fight WBC Champion Kawashima in 1997. Penalosa took a split decision win, in a notoriously tough region to displace a reigning home champion on points. Over the next six years, Penalosa had such a topsy-turvy career you couldn’t blame him for retiring somewhat prematurely in early 2003.
Disappointment after disappointment
Eighteen months after winning his first World title, it was snatched away on a split decision by Korean In-Jin Choo, who won their subsequent rematch in 2000 by the same margin. Home advantage for Choo looked to have been the crucial factor in what were tight affairs. Unfortunately for the Filipino, worse was to come. The following year, Penalosa once again sought to regain his old belt when he again traveled to Japan and faced Masamori Tokuyama. Penalosa lost yet another title fight on a tight, yet a unanimous, verdict. After a short tour of the U.S where he had two routine victories, it was back to the Far East for Gerry to once again face Tokuyama. Shortly after a fight in which Penalosa was the better man, yet lost a split decision, a bitterly disappointed Gerry Penalosa announced his retirement.
Could you criticise Penalosa for retiring when he did? Not a chance in hell. He had just lost an incredibly close decision away from home in a World title fight for an incredible fourth time. The passing of his father also played a part in his decision, who as an ex-boxer was his son’s biggest fan. Unbelievably, since then Penalosa has hit heights that could not have been conceivable in January 2003.
Rebirth
When Penalosa returned to the ring in 2004, boxing in the Philippines was a totally different animal. Manny Pacquiao had beaten Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera and was a national icon. Boxing was at an all-time high. Penalosa slowly began to become a contender once again, now fighting at Bantamweight. He had won four fights on the bounce at home, the last of which he was fighting on the Pacquiao-Larios undercard, and he then returned stateside to make an impression. He certainly left as much on Panamanian Mauricio Martinez when he steamrollered him into submission in the 9th round. He sealed the deal with assassin-like efficiency, pummelling his opponent until the referee intervened. Penalosa’s was the performance of the night, no mean feat considering the card featured Daniel Ponce De Leon and a young upstart by the name of Berto! The aforementioned De Leon was Gerry’s next opponent, and he was challenging the tough Mexican banger for his WBO Super-Bantamweight title. Penalosa was a massive underdog against the bigger champion, yet he seemed to be the stronger man and landed some heavy shots. This feared Mexican puncher never hurt the 34 year old challenger, yet the judges were more than favourable to De Leon when announcing cards of 119-109 (2) and 120-108 in favour of the champion. De Leon had won, that much was clear, but Penalosa had proved he still had a lot to offer.
Five short months later, and it was how you were again. A Mexican champion, an ageing Filipino challenger once again a huge underdog, with this time the WBO Bantamweight title on offer for the winner. Jhonny Gonzalez was the rangy champion, and he was seemingly boxing his way smartly to a points win. Penalosa could not catch the champion with any of the eye-catching shots that landed on De Leon, and after six rounds had it all to do. What happened in the 7th was pure unscripted bliss, a punch so perfect and vicious that not many like this will be landed ever again. Nearing the end of the round, Gonzalez threw a jab followed by a quick right. Penalosa slipped the right, moved in and threw a left hook to Gonzalez’ exposed body of such ferocity that the referee may as well not have counted. Gonzalez was on his knees, gasping for breath, and after almost ten years Gerry Penalosa was on top of the world again.
Penalosa has since stopped former World Champion Ratanachai Sor Vorapin, and he looks to be in the form of his life. Vorapin was no easy first defence, but Penalosa overwhelmed him much the same as he did Martinez. He is now only 18 months away from four decades as a professional boxer, and what an achievement it would be were he to be still a champion in 2010. However, he is not resting on his laurels. He had been calling out Daniel Ponce De Leon constantly since their previous meeting, but after his heavy loss to Puerto Rican Juan Manuel Lopez, Penalosa now wants a showdown with the unbeaten ‘Juanma’ (11 years his junior). Has such ambition ever been seen in a 35 year old champion before? Gerry Penalosa has given boxing his life, and is now reaping richly deserved rewards. Hopefully when all is done and dusted, ‘Fearless’ Gerry will be taking a trip to Canastota at some stage. He surely deserves one.
So who knows what lies ahead for this unheralded Filipino warrior? I, for one, will watch and wait with great interest.
Gerry Penalosa is penciled in to defend his title in August against American Nestor Rocha in Arizona, although this is yet to be confirmed.