Former WBO bantam king Gerry Penalosa has expressed interest in a proposed showdown with current titleholder Fernando Montiel of Mexico in a fight set for December 19 in Cancun, Mexico.
Penalosa, in an interview with this writer, expressed surprise albeit thankful to WBO president Paco Valcarcel for ruling that a fight against Montiel be made following several postponements of the latter's fight against mandatory challenger Erik Morel.
"I'm ready to face Montiel. Me and him are meant for each other to fight. We're about the same size. Thanks to the WBO for this development," Penalosa said the other day.
Earlier, WBO prexy Valcarcel announced that Morel will now face Filipino Z Gorres in an interim bout on November 14 underneath the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto superbout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Penalosa, meanwhile, will have to face Montiel in December, with the winner of the two bouts colliding next year to determine one regular WBO bantam champion.
"It is in the WBO's interest for there to be only one [WBO] champion in each division," Valcarcel was quoted as telling ESTO.
Penalosa is coming off a tenth-round defeat at the hands of the bigger WBO superbantam champion Juan Manuel Lopez this April in Puerto Rico.
Montiel, meanwhile, is coming off a controversial third-round technical draw with compatriot Alejandro Valdez in Nayarit, Mexico. Valdez was initially declared a TKO winner over Montiel, only to be told later the fight outcome had been reversed to a technical draw.
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