Puerto Rican pug makikipagsabayan kay Peñalosa

MANILA, Philippines - Kontra kay Filipino world bantamweight champion Gerry Peñalosa, hindi inaasahan ni Puerto Rican world super bantamweight titlist Juan Manuel Lopez na mananalo siya via first round knockout.

Sinabi ni Lopez sa panayam ng Primera Hora na handa siyang makipagsabayan kay Peñalosa, ang kasalukuyang World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight king, hanggang sa 12 rounds ng kanilang upakan na nakatakda sa Abril 25 sa Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

“I’m ready for twelve rounds. If the fight lasts one, two or three, I have to train just as hard,” ani Lopez, itataya ang kanyang suot na WBO super bantamweight crown kontra kay Peñalosa. “I hope to be finished quickly. I know I have the ability to stop Peñalosa.”

Idinagdag pa ni Lopez, nasa Top Rank Promotions ni Bob Arum, na kung tatamaan niya si Peñalosa, nasa kampo ng Golden Boy Promotions ni Oscar Dela Hoya, ng kanyang matulis na right hook ay hindi na aabot pa sa 12 rounds ang kanilang laban.

“If Peñalosa comes in to fight and gets hit by my right hook, the fight will be finished before the twelfth round,” sambit ni Lopez sa 36-anyos na tubong San Carlos City, Cebu na si Peñalosa na naghahangad ng kanyang ikatlong world title matapos maghari sa super flyweight at bantamweight division.

Sapul pa noong Enero ay nag-umpisa na ng kanyang paghahanda si Lopez, inagaw kay Mexican Daniel Ponce De Leon ang hawak nitong WBO super bantamweight belt via first round TKO noong 2007.

“I’m about seventy percent right now. I’ve been training since January, when they began to negotiate for a fight with Peñalosa,” wika ni Lopez na nagdagdag na hindi na aabot si “Fearless” hanggang round seven. “I have no doubt that it will be over in the sixth round.”

Si Ponce de Leon ang tumalo kina Peñalosa at Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista noong 2006 bago agawan ng titulo ni Lopez. (RCadayona)