OMEGA Boxing, the second-biggest boxing stable in Cebu, hasn’t had much luck when it comes to champions. They always lose them.
First, there was John Reil Casimero, whose departure sparked a legal case between Omega and his manager Sam Gelloani. Next, of course is Jhack Tepora, who opted to join the brothers who trained him since he was a kid for his aborted first title defense in the undercard of a Manny Pacquiao fight.
“Karma is a b*tch,” was one Omega boxing official posted a few days ago and you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out.
According to a source, Omega now just receive a share of Tepora’s purse but no longer has a say in his career. A sad development considering how Omega honed Tepora from the start and the undefeated fighter was under the outfit when he became a champion last July, 2017.
Their falling out all started when Omega sacked the boxers brothers last year and the champion wasn’t pleased. You really can’t blame him if he chose blood over loyalty, preferring to be with the brothers who trained him as a kid.
But I wonder though, had Jhack decided to stick with Omega, would he have been overweight for his title fight.
Superbalita sports editor Jun Migallen also told me that one of the fallout of Tepora’s failure to make weight is that promoters in the US might no longer include him in their card. The title defense was also supposed to be Jhack’s debut in the lucrative US boxing circuit, but I hope the Cebuano champ will still get his chance.
He’s young and I guess just needs to refocus on what is important at this point in his career. His brother said MP Promotions will still include him in an April card and I hope that pushes through.
Jhack is one of my favorite fighters and I’ve always seen him as a humble guy who doesn’t put on any airs. One time, while I was covering a football championship, I saw him with his wife Dina, just standing there in the sidelines looking in. He had a hoodie and was taking a break from his jogging session.
“Sir Mike” he called out, leading a coach to ask me who it was.
I told him it was the champ and the coach said,”Mao to si Tepora, simpliha ra gud.”
At 23—he will turn 24 on April 8—Jhack still has a bright future ahead of him. He’s got punching power too and of the current boxers, I think he’s in the best position to carry the flag once the legendary Manny Pacquiao and Donnie Nietes retire.