OPSI FETES VICTORIOUS BOXERS ROSALES AND DEMECILLO
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 24 Mar 2018
CEBU CITY ? Omega Pro Sports International (OPSI) honored two of their road warriors after their successful campaign overseas. Two weeks ago, Jessie Cris Rosales (22W-1L-1D,10KO?s) travelled to Australia and shocked the home fighter Ibrahim Balla, who was knocked out in the second round.
A week later, Kenny Demecillo braved the bitter cold in Russia and stopped unbeaten hometown prospect Vyacheslav Mirzaev in four rounds.
Together with their Omega Gym stablemates, coaching staff and OPSI VP Jerome Calatrava, they had a Q and A with the members of the Cebu boxing media Saturday at the Manggahan Restaurant in Lahug.
Rosales was a ?last-minute? substitute in his fight for the WBA Oceania featherweight title.
?We received the offer with less than three weeks to prepare,? Calatrava stated, ?Rosales was always in the gym but he still had to cram to make weight.?
Eight months ago, Rosales suffered his first career loss to former two-division champ Jhonny Gonzalez of Mexico. The Omega gym trainers knew they had to go for the knockout against Balla, who represented Australia in the 2012 Olympics.
?We realized we would be outboxed and lose on points if the fight went the distance,? Omega Gym chief trainer Julius Erving Jungco, who was with Rosales in Australia said.
?Rosales was still 6 to 7 pounds over the limit a day before the weigh-in. I had to make him run lots of times. On the day of the weigh-in he had to lose four more pounds. I had to make him jog some more, use the threadmill, his legs were getting weak.?
?I just followed the coaches game plan,? Rosales stated, ?Just use one two combinations but use power punches.?
?We were worried he wouldn?t last the distance because his legs were tired,? Junco added, ?But Balla thought he could take Rosales? punches after outboxing him in the first round and decided to fight up close, that?s when Rosales caught him.?
The gamble paid off and Rosales now has a regional belt to defend.
?We may have to defend it in the Oceania region, fight again in Australia.? Calatrava said.
Demecillo was facing an unbeaten Russian prospect in the person of Mirzaev. But the cold wasn?t much of a problem for him. He spent time in Japan during the cold months as a sparring partner for IBF junior featherweight champ Ryosuke Iwasa.
Demecillo was better prepared for this fight, having sparred with a southpaw already. Still he was facing a WBC International silver bantamweight titleholder in his home turf.
?Our plan was to keep pressuring,? trainer Jingjing Tepora, who accompanied Demecillo stated. ?In the second, the Russian was hurt with body punches, so we continued our body attack, we knocked him down in the third and finished him in the fourth.?
Calatrava also said that Demecillo will be eying another regional bout. He previously held the WBA Oceania bantamweight, WBF intercontinental and Asia Pacific titles.
OPSI also announced that their other boxers will be seeing action in an April 3 fight in Bukidnon. (Separate story to follow).
Top photo (L-R): Kenny Demecillo, Jessie Cris Rosales and OPSI VP Jerome Calatrava.
From left: Trainer Jingjing Tepora, Kenny Demecillo, Jessie Cris Rosales, OPSI VP Jerome Calatrava, trainer Julius Erving Jungco.
Team OPSI.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Weigh-In Results: Fundora and Conwell Ready for Golden Boy Fight Night in Oceanside
Sat, 19 Apr 2025Undefeated, rising Canadian prospect Eric Basran wins in Opening round to advance to quarterfinals of inaugural Riyadh Season/WBC Boxing Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia
Sat, 19 Apr 2025WEIGHTS FROM LONG BEACH
Sat, 19 Apr 2025Weights From Washington, PA
Sat, 19 Apr 2025Jerald Into Advances in WBC Boxing Grand Prix with Dominant Win Over Ahmad Jones
Sat, 19 Apr 2025Press Conference Notes: Keyshawn Davis Set for Homecoming Title Defense against Edwin De Los Santos at Norfolk's Scope Arena
Sat, 19 Apr 2025JAKE PAUL vs JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR / ZURDO RAMIREZ vs YUNIEL DORTICOS JUNE 28 in ANAHEIM
Sat, 19 Apr 2025June 8: Junto Nakatani-Ryosuke Nishida Bantamweight Unification Showdown Headlines Tokyo Super Card Streaming LIVE on ESPN+
Sat, 19 Apr 2025Thursday’s Action at the 2025 USA Boxing International Open Concludes
Sat, 19 Apr 2025H2O Sylve Returns to the Ring April 26th At Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta Amado Vargas Is Co-Main Live On BLK PRIME
Sat, 19 Apr 2025FM Arca bounces back, defeats IM Laohawirapap of Thailand in 6th round
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 19 Apr 2025SMITH VS. GERMAIN WEIGHTS AND RUNNING ORDER
Fri, 18 Apr 2025WBO #2 WBA #2 Mikiah Kreps on Weight in Seneca Niagara
Fri, 18 Apr 2025UFC® RETURNS TO PRUDENTIAL CENTER IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY WITH BLOCKBUSER CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLEHEADER
Fri, 18 Apr 2025AMATEUR HEAVYWEIGHT SENSATION LEO ATANG SIGNS PROMOTIONAL DEAL WITH MATCHROOM BOXING
Fri, 18 Apr 2025