THERE’S no such thing as an overload of boxing for us fight fans. Some days when I need to get my fight fix, I hit the heavy bag or revisit my favorite fights on YouTube.
This past week though, I?ve been blessed with the opportunity to be at ringside for two consecutive boxing events that I?d been looking forward to which made office work quite bearable.
You see, some days I work like a rented mule, trying to cram everything and be everywhere at all times.
But when I look forward to the sound of leather being traded, crisp jabs and raspy hooks landing and then returned with wicked intentions, an almost imperceptible but clearly narcotic effect takes hold, numbing my senses, making life bearable till the awesome weekend arrives.
Forgive me if I sound too violent, but you do know you are reading a boxing column, right? If you somehow just happened to meander down here then please move on dear reader to the more prosaic prose offered by the imminent opinion writers of this paper.
There, there won?t be any blood splatters or nosebleeds while you?re enjoying your copy of Sun.Star Cebu. In fact I would like to direct your attention to my good friend Publio Briones? column On the Go because he writes about truly ethereal matters.
But if you?re made of the same somatic ilk as this Last Rounder, read on.
OMEGA. First off, I was at the Robinsons Galeria last Sunday for Omega Pro Sports International?s launch of its ?Who?s Next?? pro boxing series.
The boxing action was right smack in the mall?s Atrium and for the duration of the event, fight fans and mall goers alike were entertained at the riveting action available for free.
The highlight of course, was Jack Tepora?s much-anticipated fight against Marvin Tinampay for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific super bantamweight crown.
The undefeated Tepora (17-0, 12Kos) was eager to break into the world rankings but Tinampay who came in with an equally impressive record of 7-2 with 6 KOs, was certainly no pushover.
At the inception, Tinampay proved to be quite slick and elusive and he matched Tepora punch for punch.
However it soon became clear who was the superior fighter when Tepora started targeting Tinampay?s midsection.
Now, I?ve seem so many fights in so many nights in so many arenas. And I don?t know if it was the unique acoustics brought about by the fact that it was indoors and in a rather compact venue.
But I thought I never heard any fighter?s punch whistle with such deadly resonance as Tepora?s blows, particularly that left straight. It?s not unlike a rocket launched with lethal precision, homing in on a guided target.
The torque behind the punches left some of the assembled media in awe. No wonder Tinampay called it quits in the fifth round, despite putting up a good effort himself.
I think Tepora is a young kid with tremendous potential who will certainly go places and Omega Pro Sports has a gem of a fighter right there. The key is to match him with capable opponents to properly gauge his progress.
Pretty soon he will certainly outgrow their boxing-in -the?mall format, but for now he is their flagship fighter. It was a successful opening salvo for Omega Pro Sports and it looks like we are going to expect more boxing fans for its next installment.
Having said that, it certainly wouldn?t hurt to provide more chairs and possibly assign seats for the media the next time around, as my knees were beginning to wobble after standing for three straight hours, and I wasn?t even the recipient of Tepora?s combinations. ( On Wednesday, Citigym?s The Contender)
VERBATIM. ? I gave you a shot, give me a shot. I?m not going to let you choke me out again.??- Holly Holm to Meisha Tate (www. MMAFighting.com)
LAST ROUNDS. Are on little cherub Jack Garcia, who turns two this week, and on his Manoy ?Bluey, ? who breezed through kindergarten with honors. Cheers to the doting and proud parents, Atty. Pablo John and Karen Flores Garcia!
