Mayor Lopez gives 2nd chance to Mepranum
By Lito delos Reyes
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 17 Nov 2015
FORMER world-title fight challenger Richie ?Magnum? Mepranum got his second chance to prove his worth from his former manager Aniceto ?Jojo? Lopez, municipal mayor of Maasim, Sarangani Province.
?Yes, I?m giving him another chance after he went to me to ask for forgiveness,? said Lopez, who is now seeking for his second term unopposed.
Mepranum won by a convincing unanimous decision over Marjhun Tabamo to capture the vacant World Boxing Union (WBU) super flyweight title last November 14 at the Maasim municipal gym.
?Dahil nanalo siya, kakausapin ko si Congressman (Manny Pacquiao) na isali sa undercard niya si Mepranum,? said Lopez.
Ironically, Lopez is still not yet officially back as a manager of Mepranum (30-4-1). Although the mayor has already been giving fights to Mepranum aside from supporting his training and needs since the boxer went back to Maasim, but still there has no boxer-managerial contract signed between them.
?Wala kaming pinirmahan na kontrata. Gusto ko lang siyang tulungan na makabalik,? said Lopez.
Lopez formerly managed Mepranum when he was also the mayor for three terms in Maasim. He was able to book Mepranum a fight in the undercard of 8-division world champion Manny Pacquiao in the US.
Mepranum?s first outing in the US was a successful one as he scored a unanimous decision win against Cesar Lopez at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 26, 2008.
In his next fight, Mepranum won by a split decision against Ernie Marquez also at the MGM Grand on November 14, 2009.
Mepranum finally made a name in this third fight in the US when he beat then undefeated Hernani ?Tyson? Marquez (28-0-0) of Mexico by a unanimous decision on March 12, 2010 at the Gaylord Hotel in Grapevine, Texas, USA.
But after managerial contract with Mayor Lopez expired, Mepranum opted to become a freelancer together with his then trainer Jonathan Tinagsa in the US.
?They even did not bothered to say goodbye to me or tell me that he (Mepranum) doesn?t want to re-sign or extend a contract,? Lopez said.
Lopez said that he had no problem if Mepranum had decided not to continue his managerial contract since he was also busy as a mayor.
?Pero dapat nagpaalam man lang sana sila ng maayos,? said Lopez.
Mepranum tried to fight in the US without Lopez as his manager already. But he lost to Julio Cesar Miranda by a 5th round technical knockout in their battle for the vacant WBO world flyweight title on June 12, 2010 at the Centro de Convenciones in Puebla, Mexico.
Mepranum was downed once in Round 4 and twice in Round 5.
Mepranum also lost to Marquez in their rematch by a unanimous decision held March 24, 2012 at the Centro de Usos Multiples in Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico.
He finally decided to return to the country and went back to Mayor Lopez.
?Hindi ko na siya pinapirma muli pero tinutulungan ko pa rin siya ngayon,? said Lopez.
Mepranum is a native of Maasim and was considered by Lopez not only as his boxer but also as his own son.
?Bahala na siya kung makahanap pa siya ng iba pang manager. Basta ako tinutulungan ko lang siyang makabalik,? said Lopez, who provides Mepranum with training allowance, vitamins and other things.
Lopez also has three other boxers under his guidance despite having no contracts with them. They are super flyweight Weljan Ugbaniel (13-4-1, 4 KOs), super bantamweight Alvin Bais (14-6-1, 3 KOs) and the promising light flyweight Vinz Paras (3-0-0, 3 KOs).
They are now all being trained by veteran Benny dela Pena at the MP Gym in General Santos City inside the Family Country Hotel.
Bais and Paras both scored contrasting wins also last November 14 at the Maasim gym. Bais scored a first round knockout against Jomar Ministerio while Paras survived against Jason Daming by a unanimous decision. ? LITO DELOS REYES
Photo: Maasim Mayor Jojo Lopez embraces newly-crowned World Boxing Union super flyweight champion Richie Mempranum after he won the fight last Nov. 14 in Maasim gym. (Photo by LITO DELOS REYES.
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