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OP-ED: "BIG T's FOR TEPORA" By Tonton Alcos-Antogop PhilBoxing.com Sun, 29 Jul 2018  CEBU CITY-Jhack Tepora (22-0, 17 K.O's.), the recent World Boxing Association (WBA) interim featherweight king uttered a big "T" that turned his post fight video interview in Malaysia viral. If literally translated, that word is best left unprinted. Thanks to the wit and composure of Jerome Calatrava, the Vice President of Omega Pro-Sports International (OPSI) who acted as the impromptu interpreter of Tepora in that four-minute interview with Eddie Montero of Channel Fight. OPSI, who has the managerial and promotional rights over Tepora is a subsidiary of the Cebu based International Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (IPI). Instead of interpreting it literally, Calatrava excellently said "big wigs", putting everything in proper context. The fight that top-billed Sen. Manny Pacquiao in his successful comeback to his throne as world boxing champion by defeating Lucas Matthysse had two heads of state as among its spectators, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Malaysian Premier Mahathir Mohammad. So Calatrava, a topnotch Disc Jockey (DJ) before he shifted into corporate life, turned the embarrassment into an instant plus factor to the non-Filipino viewers, so let's leave that Big "T" thing interview at that. "T" FOR TEMPORARY LETDOWN IN AFRICA Prior to his Kuala Lumpur victory, Tepora had an earlier career threatening incident in South Africa. He knocked down Lusanda Komanisi in just two rounds last September 2017 but not after a false diagnosis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). A confirmatory test a day after cleared Tepora to fight the hometown boy as the earlier result was caused by the mixed-up of specimens. Pio Paolo Castillo, the President of OPSI who was also present in the July 15 conquest of Tepora in the Axiata Arena admitted that they were then worried on how to proceed with the career of their prized ward if the second test would also turn positive. As destiny would have it, Tepora dominated the South African from the get go and knocked him down later amid a shocked pro-Komanisi crowd at the Orient Theatre in East London City. "T" FOR TURN-ON FACTORS When I asked him about his inspirations for the huge victory against Edivaldo Ortega, Tepora said it was for his wife, Dinah, his brother, and their parents. Dinah Tepora (nee Comision) failed to witness his biggest fight so far just for one reason: Dinah who once wrote for a Cebu local daily did not have yet a passport. "Wala pa siyay passport, pero para sa iyaha ni (She didn't have a passport yet but this is for her)," he told this writer who was just at hearing distance when he had that video interview gone viral. When pressed for other persons who served as his inspirations Tepora said through FB messenger that he also dedicated the win to his elder brother, Jellyper, and to their parents. Julius Erving "Jinggoy" Junco his head coach/trainer said that the Tepora siblings are already orphaned. Junco said Jellyper is his assistant coach. The elder Tepora served as the guardian of Tepora ever since the boxing champ was still a child. "Si Jellyper ang guardian niya kay wala na silay parents. Taas kaayo ang respeto ni Jhack sa iyaha (Jellyper is his guardian because they have no parents anymore. Jhack have high respect to him)," Junco revealed. "T" FOR TOPNOTCH FIGHT AHEAD So, what is the future of Tepora? Calatrava provided a glimpse on the road map for their champion boxer. He said Pacquiao promised them that Tepora will again be the main undercard in the next bout of the WBA welterweight king. "Senator Pacquiao promised us to be his undercard again, we are looking forward to that," Calatrava went on. Calatrava said that the fight might be in October this year but Pacquiao recently said that he is looking at December 2 as the appropriate date. So there you go boxing aficionados and fans alike. Jhack Tepora have several "T's" in his life. He might have uttered the one that went viral but his other "T's" defined him more. Temporary letdown, turn-on/inspiration factors and his topnotch fight ahead along with boxing's only eight-division world champion, the "Pambansang Kamao (National Fist) of the Republic of the Philippines, the fighting Senator, Manny Pacquiao. "T" seemingly is not waste as others may insist for the El Kapitan, it means - Triumph. Photo: WBA Interim featherweight champion Jhack Tepora (C) is being interviewed by Eddie Montero (L) of the Channel Fight in Kuala Lumpur on July 15 that went viral on the social media. At right is OPSI vice-president Jerome Calatrava who acts as Tepora's interpreter. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Tonton Alcos-Antogop.  |
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