In 1997, world featherweight champion Luisito Espinosa was the toast of the country as the only Filipino world boxing champion.
Fans were wondering which local fight would be next in line to hold a major title.
Gerry Peñalosa came from a family of boxers. His elder brother, Dodie Boy, was a former world light-flyweight and flyweight king.
At 24 years old, Gerry was already an accomplished fighter, having racked a total of 34 wins against 1 loss. Twenty-three of his opponents failed to reach the final bell, helping him earn the reputation as one of the hardest hitters in the super flyweight division.
Peñalosa was primed for a world title, but he had to wait.
“Espinosa was the big name back then because he was very exciting to watch and was taking on tough, recognizable names,” remembered fight analyst Ed Tolentino.
“Gerry was not a slugger or an explosive puncher like Espinosa. Gerry was more methodical. He was a slow starter, a counterpuncher whose killer instinct was even questioned by some. But he was effective at two things: defense and counterpunching.”
These attributes were probably the reason why Hiroshi Kawashima eluded him.
Kawashima won the world super flyweight title in 1994 by beating Jose Luis Bueno via unanimous decision. He was known as the “Untouchable” because of his superb defensive skills that allowed him to successfully defend the crown six times.
Kawashima knew Peñalosa was a threat to his reign, thereby deciding to turn down offers to fight the Filipino.
“Kawashima was on a 16-fight winning streak before he met Peñalosa. He was unbeaten against Filipino pugs but had never fought anyone in the caliber of Peñalosa,” Tolentino said.
“Gerry was a frequently avoided challenger at the time, but Kawashima had no choice but to face him when Gerry became his mandatory challenger.”
In 1996, Peñalosa installed himself as the No. 1 challenger to Kawashima’s crown by beating a slew of fighters from Korea, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. He sent himself to a title fight, one that the Japanese champion could no longer avoid.
This prompted Kawashima to schedule the bout in February at Sumo Arena in Tokyo, a time and place that he thought would favor his chances of winning against Gerry.
"Kawashima could have chosen a kinder season for his defense but obviously picked the third week of February, height of snow festivals all over Japan, to exploit his built-in home and climate advantage," sports analyst Recah Trinidad said in his report in Philippine Daily Inquirer on eve of the fight.
Even Peñalosa admitted the cold weather was a concern for his camp. "Ngayon lang ako lalaban sa ganitong kalamig na kundisyon," he said at the time.
Joe Koizumi, who managed Espinosa, said Kawashima was preparing well at camp to offset Peñalosa’s powerful left hand.
"They (Kawashima's camp) are not taking any chances against Penalosa," said Koizumi in a Philippine Star report dated February 18, 1997. "They are aware of the dangers of fighting a hard hitter like Penalosa."
History also sided with Kawashima. Of the many Filipino campaigners in Japan, only Espinosa and Reynante Jamili had come with the crown.
But Peñalosa himself underwent thorough preparation. After all, it was his biggest break at that point of his career. His conditioning was superb but most of all, his punching power was at its strongest.
"Maganda ang preparasyon ko sa laban na ito... Umispar ako ng halos 200 rounds at na-improve ko pa ang lakas natin sa kamao," Peñalosa said.
On February 20, 1997, Gerry stepped into the ring looking confident and determined.
After feeling things out in the first two minutes, Peñalosa gave Kawashima a taste of his power by rattling the Japanese with a counter left hook. He brought Kawashima to even deeper trouble when he timed the latter with another hook to the temple that brought Kawashima to his knees before the end of Round 2.
Although referee Richard Steele ruled that fall a slip, it was clear that Peñalosa meant business.
But Kawashima had other things in mind.
“The Japanese showed his true worth as a champion when he came out bristling from the fourth round, banging away body blows and head shots at the bewildered Filipino,” said Philippine Star's February 21, 1997 report. “Kawashima had his finest moment in the sixth as he staggered Penalosa with a series of a combination at the ropes.”
Peñalosa confessed after the bout that he was indeed in trouble during the sixth round.
"Nangitim ang paningin mo," he said in Quinito Henson’s Philippine Star report dated February 24, 1997. "Na-groggy ako. Buti na lang tumunog 'yung bell, kundi baka nadisgrasya ako. Saved by the bell ang nangyari sa kin."
Peñalosa acknowledged that he was tiring out as their fast exchanges went on. Peñalosa had experienced going the distance, but not at this kind pace.
"'Di kasi ako sanay tumagal ang laban kaya napagod ako. at matibay ang kalaban. Kaliwete nga si Kawashima, subalit malakas din ang kanyang kanan. Nahirapan ako sa kanyang style, kaliwete syang kagaya ko at mukhang napag-aralan niya ang aking kilos," Peñalosa said.
Both sides showed signs of swelling in their faces from all the punches they exchanged.
Fortunately, Peñalosa found his second wind and charged back into offense during the championship rounds.
In the 12th, Peñalosa unloaded left-hand leads while Kawashima tried to ward him with stiff jabs. A stinging hook-cross combo by Peñalosa had Kawashima reeling. Peñalosa knew he hurt Kawashima. Another combination and Kawashima was forced to clinch. The clock was winding down and Peñalosa chased Kawashima all over the ring, attacking Kawashima from all angles.
Kawashima reached the final bell, but barely survived the fight.
In the end, Peñalosa won via split decision.
American ring judge Tommy Kaczmarec scored it 116-112 for Gerry, while Mexican Guillermo Hiquera had it 115-114. Rudy Ortega, another American judge, scored it 115-114 for Hiroshi.
With Peñalosa winning the world super flyweight title, he set a new Philippine record with his brother Dodie Boy, becoming the only Filipino brothers ever to capture world boxing crowns. Aside from winning the WBC super flyweight strap, Peñalosa also took home the lineal crown, which meant that he was "the man who beat the man.”
Peñalosa defended the title four times before losing it to In-Joo Cho ok Korea in 1998. But no doubt, that win over Kawashima launched Peñalosa to boxing stardom.
Postscript:
After a couple of controversial decision losses, Peñalosa went into brief retirement. He returned two years later and campaigned as a super bantamweight. On August 11, 2007, Gerry fought as a bantamweight and became a two-division champion by beat Jhonny González of Mexico for the WBO bantamweight title. He retired in 2010.
~Statistics courtesy of BoxRec.com
(ABS-CBN News flips through the pages of sports history with a debut series called "Replay." Readers get to relive legendary games, fights and sports moments as they were reported at the time they happened.)
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