Veteran fighters Baby Lorona Jr. and Dondon Lapuz are set to fight for the Philippine Boxing Federation (PBF) junior lightweight crown on the March 8 card of Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde Jr. that was officially set yesterday at Mandaluyong Gym in the City Hall complex.

Mandaluyong City Mayor Neptali "Boyet" Gonzales II has assured his full-support for Elorde’s card, hoping to boast his sports tourism program and help Filipino boxers to excel in the sports.

Lorona, whose latest title, WBF Asia-Pacific junior lightweight title was stripped last month, will fight for his 13th local and 15th overall championships, including his failure to win the WBC Latin American featherweight title via unanimous decision against Dominican Republic’s Hector Acero Sanchez in Miami, Florida in August 2001.

The other matches include the non-title bouts of World Boxing Federation (WBF) International champions, slick flyweight Sukarno “Master Showman” Banjao and heavy-puncher welterweight Rey Pelonia against Mongolians.

Banjao stakes his reputation against former Pan Asian Boxing Association (PABA) light-flyweight boss Yura Dima while the burly Pelonia faces Ulan Bator-native and now two-division Korean champion Baira Kim aka Gumbat Bayartogtokh Kim.

Elorde is also eyeing to insert a clash for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) light flyweight belt, in case the Mexico-based WBC approved his $30,000 offer to No. 2 ranked Jose Antonio Aguirre of Mexico to face local prospect and recently re-installed No. 3 contender Juanito Rubillar.

The Quezon City-based Lorona, a former long-time RP featherweight boss, failed in two attempts to become a two-division national champion, both against current Philippine super-feather champ Bobby Pacquiao.

But this time, the right-handed son of the 1960s ring terror, ex-RP fly champ Arturo “Baby” Lorona Sr., don’t want to waste the opportunity.

Last year, Lapuz fought in title bouts in Pan Asian Boxing Association, IBF Pan Pacific and Asian Boxing Council in Thailand.

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