WBO Asia Pacific super featherweight champion Jimrex Jaca will not go to Moscow to fight undefeated Alicher Rahimov at the Olympisky Sports Hall in Russia in June 30.
The information came from Cebuano international boxing promoter Sammy Gello-ani, who booked Jaca the fight.
“I was told by Jaca that he can’t make the weight in so short a time. He was too heavy to make the 130-pound limit,” Gello-ani told Sun.Star Cebu last Monday.
Jaca’s manager, Rex “Wakee” Salud, also announced his fighter will not go to Russia because he has a scheduled fight on July 22 here in Cebu.
“I already asked permission both from Wakee and the Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) because this (Russia fight) is a good opportunity for him. But since he could not make the weight, I guess I have to look for another fighter to fight Rahimov,” Gello-ani said.
Jaca, who will turn 24 on Saturday, signed a seven-fight promotional contract with GBP in November last year before he fought Juan Manuel Marquez in Texas.
Rahimov is undefeated in 14 fights with seven knockouts and is the current GBU and Russian interim super featherweight champion and Jaca was supposed to put his WBO regional belt at stake in that botched fight.
Jaca won the title by defeating Indonesian Simson Butar-Butar last Feb. 24 with a knockout in the seventh round.
Aside from the WBO AsPac belt, Jaca and Rahimov were supposed to fight for the vacant IBF inter continental 130-pound belt.
“What a wasted opportunity. But we have no other choice but to look for another fighter or just turn down the offer,” Gello-ani said.
