fter a relatively quiet first two months of Cebu Boxing, things have picked up in March with the hope that everything picks up steam and goes full blast for the rest of the year. Last Wednesday in Cawayan, Masbate, Omega Pro Sports international staged ?Rumble sa Masbate? in partnership with Cawayan Mayor Ramon Abinuman. Jhaleel Payao fought won the PBF bantamweight championship over Jason Tinampay in the main event.
The first big event of the year will be the ?Who?s Next? Pro Boxing Series 4? which takes place on Saturday, March 18, at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino. Featured in the main event is Jhack Tepora of the Omega Boxing Gym who?ll be defending his World Boxing Organization Oriental junior featherweight championship against Yon Armed of Indonesia. Tepora has been on a roll with a record of 19 wins, including 14 by knockout and no defeat. He is being slowly but surely groomed by his handlers to move up in the world rankings with the goal of fighting for a world title in the future. Saturday?s fight will be just one of many stepping stones that Tepora will have to experience so he can gain more exposure, mileage and get to know himself better. If he?s patient, the timing will be ripe to go for world championship. At the moment, Jessie Magdaleno is the WBO world champion, but he?s not yet that close in the radar of Tepora?s path. Is Tepora ready for a world title? I?m afraid not just yet but this fight with Armed should take him a step closer. Jhack is a complete boxer with a nice mix of technical savvy and power, but he also realized he still has areas of improvement if compared to the world?s best 122-pounders.
In the other championship fight of the double championship fight card, undefeated Christian Araneta goes for the vacant WBO Oriental junior flyweight championship against Demsi Manufoe, also of Indonesia. Araneta is also undefeated winning all his 13 fights including 11 by knock-out. This will be the biggest fight of his career so far as he faces his first foreign opponent; and it?s for a WBO regional title and held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino. ?The Bomb? is another prospect for a world championship but still has a long way to go before he can get a shot at a world title. His fights are always exciting since he goes all-out and also gets hit. In his last fight, Araneta was on the verge of losing when he got careless and was tagged groggy by Philip Luis Cuerdo in the second round of their fight. Araneta?s big heart and will to fight back got him through as he eventually won by knock-out in the seventh round. He was behind on all scorecards but his recovery and sticking back to the basics and game plan won it for him. That was a huge learning experience that also made him ripe for this shot at a regional title.
Other fights that may steal the show from the two championship fights are those between undefeated Cris Rosales and veteran Jerry Nardo of Bacolod. Rosales (20-0, 8 KOs) has been under the radar but is back in the groove of things and is looking for an impressive performance to boost his career. Salatiel Amit is looking to recover from a recent loss to WBC International light flyweight champion Jonathan Taconing as he faces Renerio Arizala of the Penalosa Stable. A win will get him back on track in his career. The other fights have Jerry Castroverde (9-4, 5 KOs) facing off against wily veteran Ryan Quimbo. Feljune Taneo (7-1, 4 KOs) clashes with Jeffery Stella (4-1-1). Undefeated Tomjune Mangubat (6-0, 6 KOs) fights another veteran in Marvin Tampus. Another undefeated boxer Mark Vicelles (3-0-1, 2 KOs) goes up against Fabio Marfa. Marjun Piencenaves (1-0, 1 KO) fights Mark Rotilles (1-1).
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Omega Pro Sports International is promoting ?Who?s Next? 4 in partnership with GMA and the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel. It?s powered by the all new Hyundai Tucson. Ticket prices are very affordable. The most expensive VIP seats cost P500. A Gold section seat is worth P300 while a seat in the Silver section costs P100. The top officials of the World Boxing Organization Asia Pacific will be in town for the event with Leon Panoncillo heading the team along with referee and judge Atty. Danrex Tapdasan. Tapdasan will be the referee of the Tepora-Amed fight while judges will be Edward Ligas, Edgar Olalo and Salven Lagumbay. Tony Pesons will be the third man in the Araneta-Manufoe clash while judges will be Tapdasan, Lagumbay and Romar Embodo.
Here?s a shout-out to support Cebu Boxing. After having produced legends like Flash Elorde and the longest reigning Pinoy world champion in Donnie Nietes, there is so much more to offer from Cebu?s deep bag of talents. All they need is more exposure, more experience and the support of sports fans. See you at the Waterfront on Sunday.
