INTERIM World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight king Jhack Tepora could face his toughest opponent to date in his ring return next year.
Though it hasn’t been sealed yet, former world champion Hugo Ruiz has been chosen by Jhack’s matchmaker as his next foe, possibly in January or February.
“There’s a possibility that he’ll be fighting on Jan. 19. The matchmaker sent us a name, Hugo Ruiz,” Jhack’s older brother and head coach Jingjing Tepora told SunStar Cebu.
If Jhack’s fight will be next month, he’ll be one of the main attractions of Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao’s fight with Adrian Broner at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The 30-year-old Ruiz is a former World Boxing Council (WBC) super bantamweight and interim WBA bantamweight champion. He has fought the likes of Hozumi Hasegawa, Koki Kameda, Julio Cesar Miranda and Julio Ceja.
After taking time off in 2017 following his loss to Hasegawa, the 30-year-old Ruiz returned this year and won both of his fights, a unanimous decision over Dennis Contreras and a second round knockout over Jesus Galicia. Ruiz is 38-4 with 33 knockouts.
“He’s a very good counter-puncher,” said Jingjing.
Jingjing said they will be waiting for the contract for Jhack’s upcoming fight, and matchmaker Sean Gibbons is doing his best to book him in the Pacquiao vs. Broner undercard.
Jhack is slowly getting back in shape after a long layoff. He has been sparring at the Big Yellow Boxing Gym with Allan Villanueva and recently sparred with Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) super bantamweight champion and WBC No. 12 ranked Hiroaki Teshigawara at the Holiday Gym.
The 23-year-old Jhack, 22-0 with 17 knockouts, won his interim WBA belt with a ninth round stoppage of Edivaldo Ortega in July. EKA