More on Peñalosa

In yesterday’s column, we wrote about former two-time world champion Dodie Boy Peñalosa’s last fight – which was marred by a riot – against roughhouser Julius Tarona in Cebu in 1995.

Peñalosa was slapped a six-month suspension by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) for his role in the fracas but it didn’t matter because he decide to retire from boxing then and there – as a fighter. A younger brother Jonathan, who was also involved in the free-for-all, couldn’t be suspended because he had no existing license as a fighter or trainer.

Dodie Boy and Jonathan were brought in by Nonito Donaire Jr. to join his training camp for the recent interim, WBA superflyweight title bout against Panama’s Rafael Concepcion. Jonathan worked with Donaire for two months and Dodie Boy, a month at the Undisputed Gym in the Bay Area. They also trained Donaire for his previous bout against Raul Martinez at the Araneta Coliseum last April.

At the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino a few hours before Donaire faced Concepcion last Aug. 15, Dodie Boy was assigned to check on the Panamanian’s wraps.

“I complained (to the Nevada State Athletic Commission) because they were wrapping Concepcion’s hands too close to his knuckles which isn’t allowed,” said Dodie Boy. “So they made the adjustments. Concepcion had bad intentions. He never really trained to go down to 115. He just wanted to beat Nonito at a heavier weight since he knew Nonito wouldn’t back out of the fight.”

Dodie Boy and Jonathan split over $7,000 as their share of Donaire’s $150,000 purse.

“I’m proud to work with Nonito,” said Dodie Boy. “I’m happy he chose Jonathan and me to train him. It’s an honor because Nonito is a great fighter and a great champion. He went up against someone so much bigger and won convincingly. He showed things he never showed in the gym, like moving and jabbing like Ali. We told him in the corner that he didn’t have to knock out Concepcion, that he could just jab and fight from a distance and win the decision. Nonito is a very intelligent fighter. You don’t really have to tell him what to do because he knows exactly what to do.”

For Dodie Boy, the future in boxing is just as exciting as it was when he was still a fighter.

* * *

While Dodie Boy shared his tale of woe in facing Dave McAuley in London in 1989 (see yesterday’s column), Jonathan had his own sad story.

Jonathan said in 1992, he was ready to take on WBA flyweight champion Yong Kang Kim in Inchon when the fight was postponed – not once but six times. Imagine the havoc that wreaked on his training regimen. Jonathan didn’t know when to peak, when to taper off and when to be ready to fight.

Worse, he found out later every postponement meant the Koreans paid a $2,000 penalty, which someone obviously pocketed without sharing a cent. Six delays added up to a neat $12,000 kitty. Jonathan said he should’ve been entitled to a share of the no-sweat money.

When the fight date couldn’t be confirmed, Jonathan left his manager’s home – without permission – and stayed with a friend for two weeks. His manager eventually tracked him down and said the fight was on. Jonathan, meanwhile, had lost interest in training and flew to Inchon with just the purse in mind.

Jonathan said he was promised a purse of $15,000 which he split 50-50 with his manager. He was later told the purse was actually $30,000.

As for the bout, Jonathan recalled running out of gas after dominating the early rounds. He had little energy left and crumpled to the canvas in the sixth round for the full count.

“I wasn’t hurt but I just couldn’t continue,” said Jonathan. “Because of the six postponements, I never got back into training. When I got hit, I stayed down.” 

Jonathan trailed in two of the three judges scorecards at the time of the stoppage. Judge Henk Meijers saw it 49-48 for Jonathan but the two other judges Pinit Prayadsab and Kazumasa Kuwata had it 49-47 and 49-46 for Kim. That ended Jonathan’s unbeaten streak of 16 straight bouts.

Jonathan was never the same after that. He lost three more in a row then hung up his gloves in 1993 with an overall record of 15-4-1, with seven KOs. One of his defeats was a second round knockout loss to Chatchai Sasakul, the Thai whom Manny Pacquiao dethroned as WBC flyweight champion in 1998.

Among Jonathan’s most impressive wins were a first round knockout over Emil Romano, a second round stoppage of former world champion Manny Melchor and a third round disposal of Hak Myung Kim.

Jonathan said his only boy of three children never took a liking to boxing and is now graduating from college.

Like Dodie Boy, Jonathan said he is grateful to Donaire for trusting him as a trainer. “He took care of us in the US,” said Jonathan. “Top Rank flew us in from Manila and we never spent for food or shelter. Nonito will go a long, long way. He’s very good at reading opponents, measuring his distance and timing his punches. He’s intelligent and very skilful.”

If Jonathan hadn’t lost to Kim, he would’ve been part of boxing history as one of three brothers to become world champions. Dodie Boy and Gerry are in the record books as two-time world titleholders.