Peñalosa collides with Cardenas at Skydome

UNBEATEN Filipino pug Dave Peñalosa will clash against Marcos Cardenas of Mexico for the vacant World Boxing Organization ( WBO) oriental featherweight title today at the Skydome in SM North Edsa.

The 28-year- old Peñalosa (14-0 win-loss record with 10 knockouts) needs a convincing win against Cardenas (19-6-1 record with 15 knockouts) to strengthen his bid to challenge WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez.

Both fighters made it at 126 pounds during the formal weigh-in on Friday.

Meanwhile, International Boxing Federation (IBF) light flyweight and flyweight former world champion Johnriel Casimero battles Kenya Yamashita of Japan in a non-title bantamweight bout.

Former world champion Gerry Peñalosa, the promoter of the bout, said he is giving Casimero (25-4 win-loss record with 16 knockouts) a chance to redeem himself and pursue his dream to become a three- division world champion.

“I believe he can still be a world champion and we’re hoping he takes advantage of this opportunity. If the result of his fight is impressive, we’ll help him get a world title fight the soonest since he’s not getting any younger,” said Peñalosa in Filipino of the 30-year- old Casimero.

Both Casimero and Yamashita weighed in at 118 pounds. Casimero lost via unanimous decision to compatriot Jonas Sultan in an IBF super flyweight title eliminator bout in Cebu City last September 16. Casimero decided to climb up to the bantamweight rank after the loss.

Yamashita is carrying a win-loss record of 13-4 with 10 knockouts.