Pete Apolinar returns to the ring in GenSan under Sanman Boxing

Pete Apolinar presses forward against his opponent in a past fight held in Cebu. | CDN File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Pete Apolinar is set to make his return to the ring under a new banner as he debuts with ZIP Sanman Boxing on June 29 in General Santos City.

The 30-year-old native of San Pablo, Laguna, was once a world-ranked prospect under Cebu’s Omega Boxing Gym. After a challenging stretch in his career, Apolinar is hoping to turn things around in this latest chapter.

He left Omega and briefly trained with Prime Fight Gym in Talisay City before signing with ZIP Sanman early this year. Welcoming him into the fold was ZIP Sanman’s chief trainer and renowned world champion maker Michael Domingo.

Apolinar will face journeyman Pablito Canada in a six-round lightweight bout in the undercard of a Sanman double-header featuring Vince Paras and Reymart Gaballo.

Despite recent setbacks, Apolinar remains a dangerous fighter. He holds a 17-6-0 (win-loss-draw) record with 10 knockouts, good for a solid 59 percent knockout rate.

But he’s also riding a three-fight skid, having lost to Matcha Nakagawa and Kaishu Harada in Japan via unanimous decision, and falling short in his bid for the WBO Oriental featherweight title in Cebu last December.

Still, Apolinar’s credentials speak volumes. He was previously tapped—alongside Cebuano boxer KJ Cataraja—as a sparring partner for Japanese boxing superstar Naoya Inoue.

Meanwhile, Canada is coming off a tough stretch of his own. The 30-year-old fighter hasn’t won a bout since 2023 and has gone 0-7-1 in his last eight fights.

His most recent outing was a unanimous decision loss to Presco Carcosia in GenSan. Canada’s record stands at 8-27-6, with just two wins by knockout—making him a logical comeback opponent for Apolinar.