Gerry Penalosa-Abner Mares, Rey Bautista on DLH-Pacquiao undercard

[Mitchell Kane]

According to reports.

'Boom Boom' to fight on Pacquiao-de la Hoya undercard

By RONNIE NATHANIELSZ

It just keeps getting better and better.

Manny Pacquiao and Gerry Peñalosa will not be the only Filipino boxers slugging it out on December 6 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Early Wednesday morning in Manila, Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) vice-president and international matchmaker, confirmed that they are going to put up Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista on the undercard of the Pacquiao-Oscar de la Hoya welterweight clash.

"We are going to put him on the show and we are trying to get him a good fight against someone in the rankings, someone who could give him a good fight," Gomez said in a telephone interview from the US.


Gomez said GBP had confidence in Bautista.


The top executive, however, made it clear that they "[are] not going after a world champion for his (Bautista's) next fight but want to do a fight that is important to set him up for his next couple of fights before fighting for the title."


Gomez said he had received positive reports about Bautista’s second round TKO victory over tough Mexican Eden Marquez on Saturday, August 30, in Cebu, and also the fine showing of WBO minimum weight champion Donnie Nietes.

Bautista retained his World Boxing Organization International super bantamweight belt in Saturday's match.


When informed that the fights drew a huge crowd at the Waterfront Hotel, Gomez said he expected that because it was Bautista.

"The thing with ‘Boom Boom’ is that he’s very charismatic. He’s one of those guys that people like to see fight because you never know what’s going to happen. Anything can happen. He could get dropped but he could also knock anybody out. That makes him exciting," he said.

Peñalosa to fight undefeated Mexican

On Tuesday, Peñalosa confirmed that he received a call from manager Billy Keane about a fight offer from GBP for the December 6 Pacquiao-de la Hoya main event.

The WBO bantamweight champ picked undefeated 22-year-old Mexican Abner Mares over Nestor Rocha for his next title defense.


The Mares showdown is a mandatory title defense.


Peñalosa said that Keane told him there were two offers on the table from GBP.


The first stipulates that Peñalosa should defend his title against Rocha for a purse of $150,000, possibly on the undercard of the IBF/IBO welterweight title fight between Paul Malignaggi and Britain's Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton at the MGM Grand on November 22..


The second says the WBO champ should face No. 1 ranked Mares (17-0, 10 KOs) also at the MGM Grand but on the megabuck Pacquiao-de la Hoya fight for a much bigger purse of $250,000.


Peñalosa, the 36-year-old southpaw with a record of 53-6-2 with 36 knockouts, said his choice was Mares. "I am confident I can beat him."


Peñalosa was earlier scheduled to fight Rocha in Tubod, Lanao del Norte but the plan was scuttled after trouble broke out in the region.


Peñalosa won the world title with a stunning one-punch knockout of Jhonny Gonzales in the Philippines vs Mexico World Cup and then successfully defended his title over former world champion Ratanachai Sor Vorapin via an eighth round TKO at the Araneta Coliseum last April 6.


Asked why he chose Mares, Peñalosa said he realized that if he fights on the Pacquiao-de La Hoya card, he will be pushed out of the limelight though the huge pay-per-view audience and the purse would make it worthwhile.

[ElTerriblee]

36 years old you take almost twice the cash. Of course Penalosa has to know Oscar just made up that offer for the Paulie/Hatton undercard, but its time to sell the title. Maybe he can land another come from behind one punch KO victory.

[Jake]

I like Penalosa-Mares, that's definitely a step in the right direction.

Can do without Rey Bautista. He's a fun fighter towatch, but not sure he should occupy a televised u/c slot on what will be the year's biggest PPV, although that certainly didn't stop GBP last year

[Arben]

Teriffic fight. I'm looking forward to this one.

[Tam Tam]

I like Penalosa-Mares, that's definitely a step in the right direction.

Can do without Rey Bautista. He's a fun fighter towatch, but not sure he should occupy a televised u/c slot on what will be the year's biggest PPV, although that certainly didn't stop GBP last year

Bautista is still young and very exciting. No idea why it would be a bad idea to show him off.

[Jake]

I'm just saying, between the two biggest promoters in the industry, seems like the undercard could be filled up with a more relevant fighter/fight.

[Mitchell Kane]

I'm just saying, between the two biggest promoters in the industry, seems like the undercard could be filled up with a more relevant fighter/fight.

In this situation, I guess to GBP Filipino=relevant. If it's against a quality oppoent, it's alright, but Bautista isn't the kind of fighter that should be getting showcases.

I agree with you that Penalosa-Mares is a good step.

[LATIN KING]

Peñalosa/Mares is the fight I've been waiting for a while now.

some say Peñalosa might be too much for Mares at this stage. I think it's perfect timing.

I think Mares is the real deal.

[Tam Tam]

I'm just saying, between the two biggest promoters in the industry, seems like the undercard could be filled up with a more relevant fighter/fight.

I don't get it. Pacquiao's in the main event. Bautista is a compariot. Promoted by Golden Boy. Always features on these cards and puts on a good show...it makes sense to me.

[Jake]

Well, that's fine that you feel that way, Tam. I respect that - I just don't personally agree. I'd rather see, say Vic Ortiz, on the undercard if it's about a straight up showcase.

If Bautista is going to face a top 10ish junior featherweight, then wonderful. If not, then he can fight the night before on Telefutura and instead make room for a fight that means more to the future of the sport.

Again, just my opinion.

[Tam Tam]

Well, that's fine that you feel that way, Tam. I respect that - I just don't personally agree. I'd rather see, say Vic Ortiz, on the undercard if it's about a straight up showcase.

If Bautista is going to face a top 10ish junior featherweight, then wonderful. If not, then he can fight the night before on Telefutura and instead make room for a fight that means more to the future of the sport.

Again, just my opinion.

So you think Ortiz is more relevant/better than Bautista? He didn't look too hot on the De La Hoya/Forbes under.

[Mitchell Kane]

Well, that's fine that you feel that way, Tam. I respect that - I just don't personally agree. I'd rather see, say Vic Ortiz, on the undercard if it's about a straight up showcase.

If Bautista is going to face a top 10ish junior featherweight, then wonderful. If not, then he can fight the night before on Telefutura and instead make room for a fight that means more to the future of the sport.

Again, just my opinion.

I saw the news Ortiz is going to fight on next weeks ppv...given the time frame you'd figure he'll be in with someone that shouldn't preclude him from fighting again in December.

If they were thinking about the future of the sport, they'd load the card up with 4 or 5 undercard fights with at least a couple prospects on it like Danny Jacobs and Hylon Willams Jr., along with Penalosa-Mares and at least one more quality fight.

[valdosta]

So you think Ortiz is more relevant/better than Bautista? He didn't look too hot on the De La Hoya/Forbes under.

I think Ortiz is more relevant than Batista. Batista is good to watch but well, he also got KO'ed in 1 round because of bad defense.

[Mitchell Kane]

So you think Ortiz is more relevant/better than Bautista? He didn't look too hot on the De La Hoya/Forbes under.

I thought he took that on late notice, after all the managerial/promotional stuff took place.

I didn't think he was that hurt by the knockdown...and getting dropped by a pretty good puncher like Esalas (granted he's now a professional loser) and still winning is a little better than getting blown out against Ponce.

[Tam Tam]

I thought he took that on late notice, after all the managerial/promotional stuff took place.

I didn't think he was that hurt by the knockdown...and getting dropped by a pretty good puncher like Esalas (granted he's now a professional loser) and still winning is a little better than getting blown out against Ponce.

I don't really think Esalas is much of a puncher.

And yeah, sure winning is nice...but Ortiz hasn't faced anybody like De Leon yet, either.