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HBO Boxing After Dark Recap

August 11, 2007

Arco Arena-Sacramento, California

These matches are part of a best of 7 Golden Boy World Cup match, between teams from the Philippines and Mexico. However, the competition is clinched for the Philippines before the HBO broadcast begins with the Philippines having swept the first 4 matches.

1. WBO Bantamweight (118 pounds) 12 Round Championship Match:

Jhonny Gonzalez (34-5, 29 KO's, 116 pounds) (c) vs. Gerry Penalosa (51-6-2, 34 KO's, 117 pounds)

Gonzalez won this title on October 29, 2005 via round 7 technical knockout over then champion Rotanachai Sor Vorapin at the Desert Diamond Casino in Tucson, Arizona.

Gonzalez is a resident of Mexico City, Mexico, with a distinguished amateur career. The champion is the son of a professional boxer, who had the 3 time Mexican amateur national champion begin boxing at the age of 12-years-old. After, compiling an amateur record of 164-14, and winning the bronze medal in the 1998 Pan American Games, Gonzalez turned pro rather then go to the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, because of a dispute with the Mexican Olympic Committee.

At the age of 17-years-old, Gonzalez lost a 4 round unanimous to Mario Perez on August 14, 1999 at the famed Arena Mexico, where he boxed 8 of his first 11 professional matches. The champion's second match was a majority decision loss, when Gonzalez admits he was not taking boxing very seriously on November 6, 1999, also at Arena Mexico. However, after going undefeated in 2000, Gonzalez was named Mexico's Prospect of the Year for 2000. Since then he has lost only 3 times and not since 2002 at 118 pounds. Gonzalez' last loss came via round 10 technical knockout on September 16, 2006 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada at 122 pounds to Israel Vazquez, who after his win last weekend is now the Ring Magazine Champion at 122 pounds and ranked number 5 in the best pound-for-pound rankings by the magazine. After knocking down Vazquez 2 times, Gonzalez was stopped for the first time in his career. Gonzalez has been knocked down numerous other times in his career, leading many to question his ability to take a good punch. Gonzalez' last match was a round 9 technical knockout victory over Irene Pacheco at the Desert Diamond Casino in Tuscon to defend his title for the second time on March 30, 2007. (Gonzalez did not vacate his title to move up to face Vazquez.)

Gonzalez is reportedly still dried out from making the weight cut down to 118 pounds from the 130 pounds he was walking around at recently. The champion announced before the match this will be his last match at 118 pounds, because it is too difficult for him to make the weight. That could mean the champion is not mentally prepared for this match having focused too much on making weight for the match and not on preparing for his opponent.

Gonzalez is the number 5 ranked contender to the vacant Ring Magazine Championship at 118 pounds.

Penalosa is a resident of the capital city of the Philippines, Manila. The challenger is from a family of boxers. His older brother, Dodie Boy Penalosa, held theIBF Championship at 108 pounds from 1983-1986, and IBF Championship at 112 in 1987.

The younger Penalosa debuted as a professional very young, compiling a record of 3-0 before the age of 17-years-old in 1989. Penalosa's first loss came on August 1, 1992 to Samuel Duran, who had a record of 34-7-1 heading into the contest, via disputed split decision. Penalosa won the WBC Super Flyweight Championshipon February 2,1997, defeating Hiroshi Kawashima via split decision in Tokyo, Japan. That was the first and only split decision Penalosa has won in his career. Penalosa would go on to lose the title and end a 21 match winning streak (with a draw mixed in) via controversial split decision to In Joo Cho on August 29, 1998 in Seoul, South Korea. The Filipino boxer would go on to lose the rematch again via split decision in Seoul on January 2, 2000.

Penalosa would challenge the next title holder, Masamori Tokuyama, for the title twice. Losing the first time on September 24, 2001, by controversial unanimous decision in Yokohama, Japan. In that match, two of the judges had the match scored 115-113 for the Tokuyama. In the rematch, held in Osaka, Japan on December 20, 2002, Penalosa again lost a disputed split decision. The deciding scorecard had Tokuyama winning the match, 114-113.

Frustrated with his inability to win close decisions, Penalosa took a leave of absence from boxing after that match for nearly 2 years. He returned in 2004, to run off 5 straight victories, before losing a controversial decision to the power punching Daniel Ponce de Leon on March 17, 2007 at 122 pounds. The margin on the scorecards ended up being widely in favor of Ponce de Leon. However, many impartial ringside observers felt Penalosa landed the better punches even though Ponce de Leon landed more punches. That was Penalosa's last match. It was a was strong enough showing to earn him a title shot at his more natural weight class in this match.

Penalosa, who has never been knocked down in 52 career professional contests, is unranked by Ring Magazine, but ranked 28 at 122 pounds by boxrec.com.

Gonzalez has the age advantage at 26-years-old, compared to the 35-year-old Penalosa. The champion is 5' 7.5" tall, and the challenger is 5' 4" tall. Gonzalez holds the arm length advantage at 24" long measured from the armpit to the end of the fist, while Penalosa's arm is 21.5" long measured the same way. Gonzalez after cutting too much weight (2 pounds under the limit officially), will unofficially weigh 123 pounds when he enters the ring, and Penalosa will unofficially weigh a healthy 119 pounds around the time the match begins. The champion will box out of the orthodox stance, while the challenger will box as a southpaw.

The unified rules of boxing are in effect for this match. The referee is Pat Russell. Two of the judges are from California and the other is from Nevada. Keeping unofficial score for HBO is Harold Lederman.

Penalosa wins round 1, 10-9. Lederman scores round 1 the same. Penalosa wins round 2, 10-9. Lederman scored round 2 for Gonzalez, based on some good body punches the champion landed in the last minute, 10-9. Round 3 sees both boxers land serious punches for the first time in the match. Gonzalez wins round 3, 10-9. Penalosa leads on my scorecard after 3 rounds, 29-28. Through 3 rounds, Penalosa has landed 41 of 167 punches thrown, for a 25% connect percentage. Gonzalez has landed 26 of 182 punches thrown, for a 14% connect percentage. Lederman scores round 3 for Gonzalez and has him leading after 3 rounds, 29-28.

Gonzalez wins round 4, 10-9. Gonzalez is using his superior size to keep Penalosa at a distance where only the boxer from Mexico City can be effective. However, Gonzalez is circling the wrong way in the ring, towards Penalosa's power hand (left)and allowing opportunities for the challenger to cut off the ring and score effectively. Penalosa is not doing that though, instead opting to chase the champion, or stand directly in front of Gonzalez. Lederman awards Gonzalez round 4, 10-9. Gonzalez wins round 5, 10-9. The last 10 seconds of every round sees lots of action from both boxers in an attempt to change the scoring of the round. Penalosa's trainer, Freddie Roach, believes Gonzalez is the one always initiating it, but the last few rounds, it appears Penalosa has been the one initiating the action. There have also, been several violent accidental head clashes early in the match and it is surprising neither boxer has been opened up, yet from the blows. Gonzalez wins round 5 on Lederman's scorecard, 10-9. Gonzalez wins round 6, 10-9. Gonzalez leads on my scorecard after 6 rounds, 58-56. Lederman scores round 6 for Gonzalez and has him leading after 6 rounds, 59-55.

Out of nowhere with Gonzalez in complete control of the match, a left hook to the body of Gonzalez has the champion backing up, and then dropping to one knee, then two with 30 seconds to go in round 7. Gonzalez never gets off his knees, and is hunched over with his arms on the second rope in an attempt to help him breathe, when the referee's count reaches 10. There is a new champion. That is just bizarre. Gonzalez was winning round 7 up until that point. Lennox Lewis points out the punch was a liver shot, which, in true Bas Rutten fashion, Lewis reminds the audience can be temporarily crippling.

The official decision from the ring announcer Lupe Contrerasis: "that this bout comes to a sudden and dramatic end" at 2:45 of round 7 with the winner by knockout and new WBO Bantamweight Champion of the World, "Fearless" Gerry Penalosa. The win moves Penalosa to 52-6-2, with 35 of those wins coming by way of knockout.

The final punchstat numbers had Gonzalez landing 103 of 467 total punches thrown, for a 22% connect percentage. Penalosa landed 69 of the 357 total punches he threw, for a very poor 19% connect percentage.

This was a true impressive one punch body shot knockout, and not part of a combination. Penalosa said before the match, that after knocking out Gonzalez, he (Penalosa) might only want to box competitively one more time. It will be interesting to see if that holds.

Penalosa has earned one more big payday, and Gonzalez moving up in weight should have more meat on his bones to protect against a body punch. At the larger weight Gonzalez should also have more punching power and be a top level boxer at the higher weight class.

The win also, moves the Philippines to 5-0 in the competition with all of the victorious boxers being pupils of Freddie Roach.

The final few minutes of the first match are worth watching. To catch the surprise finish, and get the feel of the match to that point which is necessary to fully appreciate the upset requires tuning in about 35 minutes into the telecast.