Peñalosa faces Thai in last bout of career

MANILA, Philippines - Gerry Peñalosa is finally hanging up his gloves after a very colorful career spanning 21 years.

But he’s in for one last fight, a farewell fight, against Thailand’s Yodsaenkeng Kietmangmee this coming Sunday at the Zamboanga City Coliseum.

He said after this one, there’s no coming back, and that no amount of money, no fight as big as his previous ones, can lure him back into the sport he has decided to leave.

“I’ve come to this decision. This will be my farewell bout,” said the 38-year-old Filipino who once held the WBC super-flyweight and WBO bantamweight crowns.

Peñalosa will carry a ring record of 54 wins, including 36 knockouts, eight losses and two draws into his scheduled 10-round, bantamweight clash with the 22-year-old Yodsaenkeng (12-2-0 with 8 KOs).

Nothing much is known about this Thai except that fact that he was just learning how to walk when Peñalosa made his pro debut against Fidel Jubay in Cebu on May 20, 1989.

Peñalosa fought eight times in his rookie year, winning all of them, four by knockouts, and had already fought 50 fights when Yodsaenkeng turned pro in August of 2004.

The two-time world champion graced yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s UN Avenue and talked about his retirement, and how he prepared for his farewell performance.

“Each fight is important to me especially when I fight before my countrymen,” said Peñalosa who was joined in the forum by newly appointed Games and Amusements Board chairman Juan Ramon Guanzon and his friend, former PBL commissioner Chino Trinidad.

“I don’t want to be embarrassed before my countrymen so I trained for this fight as hard as my other fights. In boxing, you cannot relax because anything can happen in the ring,” he said.

Peñalosa said the decision to hang up his gloves came after disappointing losses in his last two fights, and already has the blessings of his dear friend, reigning pound-for-pound champion Manny Pacquiao.

“We talked about it when I visited him in Congress,” said Peñalosa.

He failed to last the distance against Juan Manuel Lopez in their super-bantamweight clash in Puerto Rico last year, and last February took a painful points loss to Eric Morel in Las Vegas.

Peñalosa said it’s time for him to leave the sport, and have more time with his family.

“I’ve decided to retire. I’m happy and contented with what I’ve achieved in boxing and what the sport has given me. Besides, I don’t think luck is still on my side as shown in my last two fights,” he added.