Dodie Boy Jr. steals show

Not since six Filipinos were featured in a single Sacramento card in 2007 has there been so many in a US bill in Las Vegas last weekend. Gerry Peñalosa, Rey (Boom Boom) Bautista, A. J. Banal, Michael Domingo, Z Gorres and Diosdado Gabi saw action in Sacramento with every Filipino winning except Bautista who was stopped by Daniel Ponce de Leon in one round.

At the MGM Grand Garden Arena last Saturday, five Filipinos climbed the ring but only two won. The night before, another Filipino, Dennis Laurente, lost a split eight-round decision to Rochester’s Kenny Abril in a painful setback at the Texas Station Casino, also in Las Vegas. For sure, Laurente, 35, will be demoted from No. 5 in the WBC welterweight ratings after the defeat that ended a streak of 19 straight wins dating back to 2006.

But it wasn’t like Laurente was blown away. Judge Al Lefkowitz scored it 77-74 for the Filipino but judge Tim Cheatham saw it 77-74 and judge Robert Bennett 76-75 for the 28-year-old Abril who raised his record to 14-5-1, with 7 KOs. Abril, a southpaw, has now won three in a row. Laurente’s slate dropped to 43-5-5, with 24 KOs.

Dodie Boy Peñalosa Jr. stole the show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena with a one-punch knockout over Mexico’s Jesus Lule at 1:12 of the second round. Lule was on the attack when Peñalosa landed a counter right hook to the jaw that was as devastating as Juan Manuel Marquez’ delivery in the main event. Referee Jay Nady didn’t bother to count as Lule was stretched on the canvas, his body twitching.

Peñalosa’s corner was manned by his father Dodie Boy Sr. as chief second, Buboy Fernandez and Argentinian Hall of Fame cutman Miguel Diaz. His uncle Gerry Peñalosa was in a suit at ringside. The ending mirrored how Marquez disposed of Manny Pacquiao only Lule fell on his back while the Filipino dropped face first. Referee Kenny Bayless also waved it off immediately for the doctors to attend to Pacquiao.

Peñalosa, 21, looked awesome against Lule who had won five straight. He moved with ease around the ring, keeping Lule off-balance, and countered efficiently. Peñalosa went about his business with a purpose, no wasted movement. When Lule pressed the attack, Peñalosa lashed out with a left lead reminiscent of Pacquiao. Although a southpaw, Peñalosa used his right to send Lule to dreamland. The win raised his record to 10-0, all by KO.

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What’s interesting is how Peñalosa develops alongside his younger brother Dave. The scuttlebutt is Dave has more promise than Dodie Boy Jr. but from what the older kid showed against Lule, it looks like he’s progressing on schedule. Dave has a 5-0 record, with 3 KOs. Dodie Boy Sr. and younger brother Gerry were both two-time world champions. Another brother Jonathan had a shot at the WBC flyweight title but blew it. You wonder if Dodie Boy Jr. and Dave will duplicate what their father accomplished with their uncle.

The other Filipino winner in the undercard was General Santos City’s Ernie Sanchez who scored a unanimous eight-round decision over Philadelphia’s Coy Evans. Sanchez, 20, was shaky in the first two rounds then dropped Evans in the third to turn the tide around. After the knockdown, it was smooth sailing for the 5-7 Sanchez who improved his record to 14-3, with 5 KOs. Judge Lisa Giampa and judge Jerry Roth saw it 78-73 while judge Tim Cheathan 77-74, all for Sanchez.

Pacquiao, Michael Farenas and Mercito Gesta were the losers. Farenas made a good account of himself, coming back from two trips to the canvas to drop 2004 Olympic gold medalist and former WBA/IBF featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in the eighth. He was the more aggressive fighter in the late rounds as Gamboa, coming off a 15-month hiatus, seemed to tire out. But Gamboa’s high skill level and ring generalship were too evident. Farenas, cut over both eyes, battled courageously and never backed down. However, the judges didn’t give him too much credit for his valor. Judge Robert Hoyle saw it 117-109, judge Dick Houck 118-108 and judge Glenn Trowbridge 117-108, all for Gamboa. Clearly, the Cuban deserved to win but the fight was a lot closer than how the judges scored it.

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The big disappointment was the much-ballyhooed Gesta who came in with an unblemished record of 26-0-1, with 14 KOs. Gesta was totally outboxed, outwitted and outmaneuvered by the slick defending IBF lightweight champion Miguel Angel Vazquez. The Filipino looked to land a big punch but Vazquez wouldn’t oblige with an opening. Gesta and his trainer Vince Parra had no Plan B. With Vazquez controlling the action from a distance, Gesta didn’t know what to do. He was lost in the ring, a confused challenger who looked like a novice. For someone who was once hailed as a fighter on the cusp of stardom by The Ring Magazine, Gesta was a huge disappointment. The hype clearly got to his head. Gesta and Parra should get their feet back on the ground.

Throughout the fight, Gesta kept looking at the giant monitors above the ring. He appeared more interested to check how he looked than how he fought Vazquez. In the end, it was the judges who showed him no mercy. Gesta, whose nickname is No Mercy, was a poor excuse for a Filipino fighter. Judge McKaie saw it 117-111, judge Patricia Jarman 119-109 and judge C. J. Ross 118-110, all for Vazquez. In all, Vazquez threw 616 punches with 185 connected and Gesta only 336 with 61 landed.