OMEGA Pro Sports International launched its Who?s Next Pro-boxing series powered by Hyundai, a six-part series the boxing arm of the IPI hope will discover the next big star in the Philippines.
One initial offering this year will be on March 6, involving the WBO Asia Pacific super bantamweight title fight of Jack Tepora, who is one of the promising boxers in the Philippines with a 16-0, 11KO record.
?We just provide venues for these talents, to prepare them for the bigger fights ahead,? said Omega Sports International president Pio Paulo Castillo.
Castillo said the boxing series is a part of a series of changes their group is undertaking this year, to help raise Omega boxing to a new level.
?Over the years, we?ve been worldwide, we?ve been to Panama, Thailand but for some reason we got stuck somewhere. So the entire team, staff met and thought of new ideas and new opportunities. And one of the first steps was to hire Chad Ca?ares.?
Ca?ares, who used to be with ALA Boxing before trying his hand in politics, is now the vice president of Omega Pro Sports International.
Ca?ares said that Tepora, who beat Andrew Palas in his last outing last Jan. 9, could break into the top 15 ranking worldwide with a win on March 6.
The March 6 fight will also be a first for Cebu at it will be held inside the newly-built Robinsons Galleria and will be free to the public.
?All six promotions will be free to the public,? said Ca?ares, whose outfit is backed by Harley Davidson Cebu, Hyundai Cebu and Robinsons Galleria.
Castillo also assured fight fans that they will have quality fights in all six of their promotions.
?We really have to put up quality fights. Even if our boxers win or lose, our shows have to be of high quality. That is what will set us apart,? said Castillo. ?Our boxers gave up their education to box for us, this is what we can do for them.?
Aside from the pro fighters?of which they have 19 in their stable?Canares said they will also boost their amateur program by holding fights all over Cebu.
?We hope to hold at least one event a month, figure out the venues and contact the differt stables and trainers,? said Ca?ares.
Aside from hiring Ca?ares, Omega Pro Sports also hired sports doctor Rhoel Dejano, who counts as clients Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. champions University of San Carlos and Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu.
?There are a lot of things in boxing that need to be unlearned,? said Dejano.
Though there won?t be any drastic changes, one of the things that Dejano want changed when he started working with the boxers last week is weight management.
?When boxers lose a lot of weight in just a day to make the weigh-in, they also lose power. But they believe they will get their power back. Those are just some of the things that need to be changed,? said Dejano.
The doctor also said he and his team of physical therapists will also look at some of the health issues and injuries of the boxers.
