UNDEFEATED Rolando Magbanua battles Mexico?s Jose Angel Cota for the World Boxing Organization Oriental bantamweight title on Feb. 21 in Cebu City, while stablemate Judy Maraon takes on Jason Egera for the WBO Asia Pacific version of the 118-pound title.

Titled Battle of the Bantamweights, the promotion of Cotabato Vice Gov. Manny Pi?ol may feature WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Pe?alosa in a tune-up fight before his planned title shot at WBO super bantamweight champion Juan Manuel ?Juanma? Lopez in April.

Pe?alosa?s manager Billy Keane indicated that Top Rank promoter Bob Arum and Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer were close to finalizing a deal for the title fight and that he was looking to get a fairly easy opponent for a tune-up fight for Pe?alosa.

But Keane said WBO president Francisco ?Paco? Valcarcel will not allow Pe?alosa to figure in a tune-up fight unless he first sees a signed contract for the Marquez fight.

The WBO earlier postponed the purse bid set for Jan. 12 for Pe?alosa?s mandatory title defense against Puerto Rico?s former WBA flyweight champion Erik Morel, because of Pe?alosa?s plan to move up and fight Lopez at 122 pounds.

Keane, at the same time, said indications are Valcarcel will not approve an interim title fight between Morel and WBO super flyweight champion Fernando Montiel of Mexico and would probably choose a less formidable opponent.

Magbanua, who has a record of 11-0 with 6 knockouts, according to boxrec.com and is nicknamed Smooth Operator, will take on Cota, who has a record of 8-3 with 6 knockouts. Ronnie Nathanielsz