BONSUBRE: TWO TITLE BELTS IN ONE DAY BUT WILL THIS REIGNITE LOCAL BOXING?
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 16 Jul 2018
It was a great day for Philippine boxing. Jhack Tepora got the chance to showcase his punching power on a big fight stage and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao resumed his winning ways.
Tepora, a southpaw from Cebu, the Philippines? fight capital, was facing Mexican Edivaldo Ortega for the vacant WBA interim world featherweight title. Tepora dominated in the strategic and power aspect of the fight. Tepora?s coup de grace was a hard right uppercut in the ninth.
Tepora fulfilled the promise of his boss, Pio Paulo Castillo, the CEO of Omega Sports Promotions, who vowed last January that his company will produce a world champ in 2018.
Pacquiao was coming back from a year-long hiatus from the ring and a WBO title loss to Jeff Horn in Australia. He entered this fight with fans and pundits doubting if he still has what it takes to take on a dangerous puncher like the Argentinian Lucas Matthysse. The former eight division titleholder is 39 years old and an incumbent Senator.
It turned out to be an easy fight, with Matthysse too slow to do anything of significance both on offense and defense.
Matthysse was dropped thrice in a seven round span before referee Kenny Bayless decided he had seen enough.Matthysse even took a knee in round five and one cannot help but wonder at that point if the Argentinian?s heart was still in the fight.
Pacquiao has a WBA welterweight belt, but more importantly, his career is back on a positive note. Whether this was the one good fight still left in a great champion or a start of another improbable string of victories remains to be seen.
We also hope that Pacquiao?s victory will have a trickle-down effect in the Philippines? boxing industry. Casual fans have gradually lost interest since Pacquiao lost to Juan Manuel Marquez and Floyd Mayweather.
There are fewer boxing programs seen on Philippine free TV compared to the years when Pacquiao was at the peak of his powers. Local fights are still not aired live.
Jerwin Ancajas and Donnie Nietes are lucky that they defended their world titles in the U.S. and were shown on Philippine television stations. When the likes of Raymart Gaballo and Vic Saludar won their titles, only those with wifi access got to see their fights on youtube.
A few years ago, there were at least four competing major boxing promoters in the island of Cebu, with fans witnessing boxing shows almost on a monthly basis. Now, Cebu fans would be lucky to have two major cards in a year.
And despite our unprecedented success in the pro ranks, the Philippines is still seeking that elusive boxing gold medal in the Olympics.
Will Pacquiao?s victory rekindle the interest of the sponsors and the local networks and make them look at rising stars like Tepora?
Manny Pacquiao and Jack Tepora at post-fight press conference after their title-clinching victories Sunday in Kuala Lumpur.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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