Beats Bob Arum's Top Rank by just $500 in WBO purse bidding

SGG Sports Promotions, the promotional arm of Cebu's world-renowned ALA Boxing Club, edged out Top Rank Inc. of Bob Arum in the purse bidding to secure the right to promote the Z Gorres-Fernando Montiel World Boxing Organization (WBO) super flyweight championship bout.

The purse bid was held yesterday at the WBO Headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico and was presided over by no less than WBO president Francisco "Paco" Valcarcel.

SGG, represented by international matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz, won with a bid of US$126,000, besting Top Rank by just five hundred dollars.

"This is a major victory for Philippine boxing. I'm very elated to hear this news," SGG Sports Promotions top honcho Sammy Gello-ani told philboxing.com.

Gello-ani is currently in Florida to be at the ringside when ALA ring sensation Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista tangles with Brazilian bomber Giovanni Andrade in the undercard of the Winky Wright-Ike Quartey rumble on December 2 at St. Peter Square Times in Tampa.

The Gorres-Montiel titular showdown is tentatively set to take place sometime in January 2007 either in Manila or in Cebu.

"Right now, the Araneta Coliseum is being considered as the venue of the Gorres-Montiel title fight," said ALA big boss Antonio "Bidoy" L. Aldeguer. "But if Cebu will bid for it, that's a big thing becuse this is a history making event."

Aldeguer said that Golden Boy Promotions, the promoter of Gorres, is planning to put up a Philippines vs. Mexico card, similar to that of the "Mano-A-Mano Pilipinas Contra Mexico" showdown topbilled by Manny Pacquiao against Oscar Larios last July 2 at the Big Dome.

Aldeguer said among those being eyed to see action underneath the Gorres-Montiel duel are Rey Bautista, Gerry Peñalosa, Diosdado Gabi, and Jimrex Jaca, who are all under contract with Golden Boy of boxing great Oscar de la Hoya.

However, Aldeguer said nothing is final yet as of the moment as they have to talk things over first with the Golden Boy executives.

"There's a very strong plan that they will put up a Philippines vs. Mexico card. That's what they're talking about, but that thing has yet to be confirmed because we have to sit down first with Golden Boy because they are the legitimate promoter of Gorres," said Aldeguer.

Barring any hitches, this will be Gorres' first crack at a world title. The Mandaue City fighter holds an impressive 26-1-1 win-loss-draw record spiked with 14KOs.

Montiel, on the other hand, sports a 32-2-1 ledger with 24KOs. He will make the third defense since regaining his WBO 115-pound belt with a seventh round stoppage of Ivan Hernandez on April 9 last year at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas.