Gerry Peñalosa has all the bases covered when he defends his World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight crown on Sunday morning.

“I have a Plan A, Plan B and even a Plan C,” said Peñalosa yesterday during a press conference at the Mandarin Suites inside Gateway Mall in Cubao when asked to comment about his gameplan for tough challenger Ratanachai Sor Vorapin of Thailand at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Peñalosa-Vorapin bout is the main event of an international card dubbed “Invasion: The Philippines versus The World.” It features several foreign boxers, some of whom had come from halfway around the globe seeking fame and a little fortune, against a host of Filipino fighters.

But all eyes will be on Penalosa, who turns 36 this August, as he begins what he says is a farewell boxing tour in which he plans to fight three times this year and then retire — hopefully with a bang.

The fight against Sor Vorapin is the first step towards his dream of ending the year in triumph. Next after Vorapin, assuming he wins the bout, are Mexicans Daniel Ponce De Leon and Rafael Marquez.

Golden Boy Promotions (GBP), which is represented here by Chief Operating Officer David Istkowich, vice-president Eric Gomez and ace publicist Ramiro Gonzalez, has assured Peñalosa of a July showdown with Ponce De Leon should he get past Sor Vorapin.

“If that happens, I will hang up my gloves and spend more time with my loved ones,” said Peñalosa, who had previously reigned as World Boxing Council super-flyweight champion from Feb. 1997 until Aug. 1998.

Penalosa was given two chances to regain it but he was denied by In Joo Cho of Korea and Masamori Tokuyama of Japan, forcing him to “retire” in early 2003 only to return a couple of years later.

“I don’t want to retire a loser as I want to showcase my best in the last three fights of my career,” said Peñalosa, who turned professional in 1989 under the wings of Cebu boxing patron Tony Aldeguer.

“I know that Sor Vorapin is hungry and is determined to exact payback but I hate losing and I don’t want to lose again,” said Peñalosa, who had stopped the fearsome Thai when they locked horns in Nov. 2000.

Gomez was all praises for Peñalosa, who captured the title by dropping the heavily-favored Johnny Gonzalez of Mexico last year in Sacramento, California.

“We are very proud of him and he is one of the greatest fighters who have ever come from the Philippines,” said Gomez.

While the spotlight fell on Penalosa, undefeated super-fly AJ Banal and Rey Bautista also had their moments in the well-attended event.

Banal faces Uruguayan sensation Caril Herrera, who planed in yesterday morning from a backbreaking trip that took him to Brazil from Montevideo (capital city of Uruguay), Amsterdam, Hong Kong and then Manila.Bautista, who is aiming to get back into the spotlight by strutting his stuff in the US by the end of 2008, meets Genaro Camargo of Mexico.

Apart from the three high-profile matchups, worth watching are lightfly Bert Batawang (against Henri Amol of Indonesia), bantam Michael Domingo (against Thepnimit Chittapanna of Thailand) and fast-rising super-bantam Ciso Morales (against Yoo Shim Kim of Korea).

The official weighin will be held tomorrow beginning at 10 a.m. at the Cineplex also at the Gateway Mall.