Pacquiao to pal Gerry: Time to hang up gloves

MANILA, Philippines - At least two people close to Gerry Peñalosa, including pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, are urging the ageless warrior to do the next best thing – hang up his gloves. Both Pacquiao and boxing promoter Wakee Salud are convinced it’s about time for Peñalosa to retire from the brutal sports of prize fighting after watching how he was badly beaten by reigning WBO super-bantamweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez. Peñalosa, 36, was being battered for nine full rounds by the 25-year old Puerto Rican champion when Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach decided enough was enough and no longer allowed the challenger from San Carlos City, to answer the bell for the 10th round. The ninth round technical knockout was the 13th straight win inside the distance for the bigger and stronger champion, who retained his title for the fourth consecutive time. It was also the first ever stoppage suffered by Peñalosa. “Siguro tama na rin. Retire na," said Pacquiao after watching the fight live on cable channel in his posh Palazzo apartment in Hollywood. Salud, Peñalosa’s manager when he won the World Boxing Council (WBC) super-flyweight title in 1997, readily concurred with the Filipino boxing icon. “Sa akin tama lang na mag-retire na si Gerry," said the long-time boxing promoter. “Isa pa, talagang maliit siya masyado sa bantamweight." Peñalosa didn’t win a single round in all three judges’ scorecards and was dominated by Lopez in both power punches thrown and landed. The champion threw 863 power punches and connected 421 of them for a high 49 percent average, while the challenger only landed 73 of his total power punches of 287 for a 25 percent batting norm. Knowing fully well the futility of proceeding with the fight, Roach told Peñalosa at the corner prior to round nine that he’s giving the Filipino “one more round to get or hurt him or else, I’ll stop the fight." Peñalosa failed to respond to the challenge and saw his bid for a third world title banished into thin air. Pacquiao said he was proud of what Peñalosa did. He added the ageless warrior and two-time world champion (WBO bantamweight) has nothing more to prove. “For me, tama na kasi matagal na rin siya sa boksing. Nag-champion na siya diyan at marami na rin siyang pinakita," said the 30-year-old boxing icon. He also supported Roach’s decision to stop the fight at that point. “Tama yung desisyon ni Freddie, kasi bakit hintayin mo pa na masaktan o mapasama, di ba? Nakita naman natin na ginawa niya lahat nang makakaya niya," Pacquiao said. The General Santos City native added that Peñalosa was just too much against Lopez, 25, holder of 25 wins including 23 by knockout. “Malaki lang talaga si Lopez at tsaka malakas," he said of the Puerto Rican, who scored his 13th successive knockout win. “OK naman yung galaw ni Pareng Gerry. Maganda yung punakita niya kaya masaya ako. Nakita naman natin na di naman siya napa-bagsak ni Lopez." Peñalosa fell to 57-7 overall, with 36 KOs. –GMANews.TV