Donaire
asks Gerry
Peñalosa to train himAs
the year 2008 draws to an end with four more days left from now with the usher
of the New Year 2009, we are reprinting here reprinting here a report by noted
PDI sportswriter Recah Trinidad, on the recent homecoming of Bohol's pride and
world champion Nonito Donaire Jr.
Two
Filipino World Boxing Champions, Nonito Donaire and Gerry Peñalosa, are
set to join hands in a rare partnership designed to keep the national flag waiving
proudly in the world boxing battlefield.
Donaire,
the reigning IBF flyweight champion, has tapped Peñalosa, WBO bantamweight
champion, to be his trainer in his next fight.
Donaire
is scheduled to challenge Mexican WBO super flyweight champion Fernando Montiel
at the Araneta Coliseum on March 15.
Brian
Viloria is fighting IBF light flyweight champion Ulises Solis, also of Mexico,
in the same card.
Peñalosa,
who has yet to finalize negotiations for his next fight, said he was in favor
of the proposal that was formally made at the Gerry Peñalosa Boxing Gym
in Mandaluyong City Monday.
| | | "First,
I must make sure there would be no conflict with my own schedule," Peñalosa
said.
He
added that another requirement is for the United States-based Donaire to first
"get rid of all the distractions," before he agrees to the proposal.
Donaire
has won his last four fights by knockout.
He
is coming off a sixth-round stoppage of South African Moruti Mthalane to retain
his flyweight title on Nov. 1. | Referee
Joe Cortez stopped the fight at the 1:31 mark after examining the cut on the inside
of Mthalane's left eyelid.
It
was only Donaire's second defense of the belt he took from the hard-hitting Vic
Darchinyan was considered by knowledgeable ring gurus as the Knockout of the Year
and Upset of the Year.
In
his first defense in December last year, Donaire beat Luis Maldonado of Mexico
by technical knockout in the eighth round.
Donaire
holds a record of 21 wins, spiked by 13 knockouts, against a single loss.  | 
