Pumicpic challenges for OPBF crown
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 22 Mar 2014
Up and coming Filipino fighter Richard Pumicpic flies to Tokyo tomorrow to make one big stride towards fulfilling a seven-year dream of someday gifting himself and the country a world boxing championship.
The young pride of Zamboanga del Norte, who will turn 23 on May 9, is fighting World Boxing Council no. 1 contender Ryosuke Iwasa on March 25 in the 12 round main event at Tokyo's historic Korakuen Stadium for the Orient-Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) bantamweight crown in the hope of earning a crack at the WBC world 118-pound division title currently held by another Japanese, Shinsuke Yamanaka.
"Yes. We will definitely work on pitting Richard (Pumicpic) against Yamanaka for his world title should our boy emerge victorious in this coming fight," Pumicpic's manager Anson Tiu Co said.
"Preparadong-preparado si Richard sa labang ito at tingin namin ay hinog na siya para talunin si Iwasa to make it to the elite list and line himself up for a world title crack," Co said, adding that his ward has been working hard in preparation for the most important bout of his young career so far since plunging himself into the squared arena seven years ago.
Pumicpic, a former WBC Youth Silver bantamweight titleholder and known in the fighting community as "The Beast" because of his style, for his part, said he started building up for the fight two weeks after his last assignment December 13 when he won via unanimous decision over Mexican Luis Lugo in a 10round scrap held at the Solaire Resort Hotel.
The second of a brood of seven children of Zamboangueno farm hand Dionisio and estranged wife Virginia (nee Taruc) as so far hacked out a 14-5-2 win-loss-draw slate since starting his boxing career December 7, 2007, ironically by losing to Jeffrey Torio via a split decision in a four-rounder in his hometown.
"Labang kalye yung fight na yun, bara-bara at kahit sino puedeng manalo. Kaso yung kalaban ang itinaas ang kamay pagkatapos ng suntukan," Pumpcpic recalled smiling in a chanced interview at the lobby of Lancaster Hotel in Mandaluyong City.
To fine-tune his boy, Co, the owner of the Cooyeesan Hotel in Baguio City, where the now famous Shape Up Boxing Gym, better known as Manny Pacquiao's home in the country's summer capital, is located, had been shuttling Pumicpic to and from the Pines City to Manila in the course of his build-up program.
"He spent three weeks in Baguio at the start of his training camp then transferred here in Manila where he resumed preparation for seven weeks," Co bared.
Before closing his camp, Pumicpic had sparred more than 100 rounds against four sparmates, including world-ranked featherweight contender Michael Farenas.
"Para sa pamilya ko ang labang ito pasra mahango ko sila sa kahirapan at para sa bayan, lalo na sa mga naging biktima ng kalamidad na dumapo sa ating bansa noong nakaraang taon," declared Pumicpic.
Stablemate Richard Garcia is fighting in the undercard of the Pumicpic (14-5-2, 4 KO's) vs. Iwasa (16-1, 10KO's).
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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