TEPORA WINDS DOWN TRAINING FOR WBA TITLE FIGHT
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 08 Jul 2018
Jhack Tepora (21W-0L,16KO?s) of the Omega Gym of Cebu is set for the biggest break in his career when he fights on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Lucas Matthysse megafight in Malaysia. Tepora will face Mexican Edivaldo Ortega (26-1-1,12KO?s) for the WBA interim world featherweight title.
With the fight just a week away, this writer had separate chats with Omega Gym trainers Julius Erving Junco and Jhack?s brother Jerald ?Jingjing? Tepora about their prized fighter?s training.
?We are doing good,? Coach Junco stated, ?He is in good condition, we are ready. We just need to cut down on a few more pounds.?
Tepora not only sparred in the Omega Gym but also in Gen. Santos City.
?His chief sparring partner at the Omega Gym was Jhaleel Payao.? Coach Jingjing Tepora said, ?He also had a training session in Gensan.?
Junco told this writer that the Gensan training lasted three weeks. ?We joined Team Pacquiao in Gensan and Jhack?s sparmates were from the Sanman Gym. It was an unforgettable experience to train with Sen. Pacquiao.?
Junco said that they have studied videos of Ortega, ?Jhack will have to fight smart, stay in distance and use his jab all the time.?
Jingjing said Jhack will have the entire Team Omega behind him in this fight. They plan to leave on July 10.
Tepora who hails from Cebu, is a former amateur standout who had a very brief stint with the national team. He turned pro in 2012 and has since garnered three ranking belts with the WBO, first the Asia Pacific Youth then the Oriental title. But it was his highlight reel KO win last September 22, 2017 against former IBO world title-holder Lusanda Kumanisi in South Africa for the WBO Inter-continental featherweight belt that made Tepora one of the hottest prospects in the country. Tepora however, has not fought since that September bout.
The World Boxing Association (WBA) ranks Tepora at number two and Ortega at number three among the 126 lb contenders. The WBA super champion in this division is Leo Santa Cruz.
Ortega is no pushover. He owns wins against former WBA interim titleholder Drian Francisco of the Philippines and former WBC world superflyweight champion Tomas Rojas of Mexico.
Pacquiao?s challenge against Matthysse for the WBA world welterweight title will be on July 15 at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur.
File Photo ? Jhack Tepora at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel last year after knocking out Yon Armed of Indonesia.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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