CEBU, Philippines - Filipino prospects Dodie Boy Peñalosa, Jr. and Dave Peñalosa will co-headline a boxing event on March 23 at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City. The event will be promoted by their uncle, former two-division world champion Gerry Peñalosa, in what looks on paper to be their toughest tests to date.
Cebu's hometown pride Dodie Boy Peñalosa, Jr., (10-0, 10KOs) will face Lizandro Los Santos (19-10, 7KOs) of Oaxaca, Mexico, with the WBO Oriental super bantamweight title at stake in the 10-round main event. Dodie Boy Jr., 22, is coming off an impressive showing on the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez IV undercard last month when he knocked out journeyman Jesus Lule in two rounds with one right hook in his American debut.
Santos is fighting outside of Mexico for the first time and each loss has come by knockout.
Dave Peñalosa (5-0, 3KOs), also of Cebu City, will face Juan Jimenez (11-6, 9KOs) of Nuevo Casas Grandes, Mexico in a six-round bout. Dave Peñalosa is 21 and will be facing his first opponent from outside of Asia.
The Peñalosa brothers are the third generation of an accomplished fighting family. Aside from their uncle Gerry, who held the WBC junior bantamweight and WBO bantamweight titles, their father Dodie Boy Sr., is a former IBF junior flyweight and flyweight titleholder.
Their other uncle Jonathan Peñalosa challenged unsuccessfully for the WBA flyweight title and served briefly as the trainer of Nonito Donaire Jr., while their grandfather Carl Peñalosa was a two-time Philippine champion during a professional career in the '60s.
The undercard will also feature featherweight Eden Sonsona (32-6, 10 KOs) of General Santos City and lightweight Anthony Marcial (18-1, 17 KOs) of Zamboanga City in separate bouts against opponents to be named.
EDITOR'S NOTE:Ryan Songalia is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) and columnist for The Ring magazine and GMA News. He can be reached at ryan@ryansongalia.com. An archive of his work can be found at www.ryansongalia.com. One may follow him on Twitter:@RyanSongalia (FREEMAN)