IS JACA IN FOR A ROUGH NIGHT?
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 22 May 2010
Jimrex Jaca?s plan to rebuild his career could run into a major stumbling block in the form of James Kimori of Kenya this Sunday.
The 26 year old Jaca (29W-6L-3D, 14KO?s) was on a three fight losing streak in 2008 and was inactive for the whole of 2009. Last January, he made a successful comeback when he stopped Indonesia?s Ramadhan Weriu in a nationally televised fight card. This was Jaca?s first win since the 7th round KO of Simson Butar-butar of Indonesia at the Cebu Coliseum in 2007. Jaca is also known for his courageous but losing stand against Juan Manuel Marquez in 2006.
With an impressive win under his belt, the talented southpaw earned a second look from fans and pundits. Now, he will have to face a tough looking fellow southpaw who is no stranger to world class opposition.
Kimori (15W-3L, 11KO?s) is from the Luhya tribe of the Bantu ethnic group of Kenya. Last year, he fought and lost against DeMarcus ?Chop Chop? Corley of the U.S., a former WBO lt.welterweight champion (2001-03). Corley is also known for lasting twelve rounds before losing to Floyd Mayweather in 2004.
Kimori, together with trainer and manager Paul Otieno joined the Michael Domingo-Luis Melendez press conference held late Friday evening at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City.
Otieno talked about Z Gorres, who is the reason for staging the Domingo-Melendez bout. Gorres fought and beat a Kenyan boxer, Nick Otieno, by unanimous decision in 2008.
?Gorres was a tough boxer. He is the only boxer Nick talks about. He still remembers the uppercuts that Gorres threw.?
Otieno describes Kimori as ?a tough fighter, who will entertain but will explode. We will entertain in the first five rounds but he?ll explode in the next five.?
Jaca for his part said, ?I am not overconfident but if he gets overconfident, I?ll knock him out.?
Kenyans have a history of going the distance here in Cebu, aside from Gorres vs Otieno, last year boxing fans witnessed Czar Amonsot vs Morris Chule.
Kimori vs Jaca is a ten round non-title bout immediately preceding Domingo vs Melendez. Weigh-in will be at the Ayala Center on Saturday noon. Fight time is on Sunday 6 P.M. at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Lahug,Cebu City.
Top photo: Jimrex Jaca (L) and James Kimori face off during the press conference Friday night at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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