OMEGA Pro Sports International (OPSI) is just waiting on the final nod from the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) to stage Cebu’s first boxing show since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out.
“We still have the initial approval. We can start announcing it this weekend,” OPSI vice-president Jerome Calatrava told SunStar Cebu. “We are waiting for our license to hold the event. But the lineup of boxers has been approved.”
The show’s card is already set with four fights on Oct. 7, 2020 at the IPI Compound in Tingub, Mandaue City.
The main event features a 10-rounder between world-ranked Mark Vicelles against Junuel Lacar.
The 24-year-old Vicelles is currently on a rise, now rated No. 10 in the World Boxing Council (WBC) and No. 13 by World Boxing Organization (WBO) light flyweight. He had a huge 2019 with a technical decision win over Robert Onggocan and a majority decision over world-rated Jesse Espinas.
Lacar, on the other hand, is coming off a fourth round technical knockout win over Romeo Tenorio last Nov. 10, 2019. He has also faced some tough competition like current World Boxing Association (WBA) light flyweight king Hiroto Kyoguchi and International Boxing Federation (IBF) No. 8 minimumweight Lito Dante.
Vicelles is 11-0-1 with five knockouts, while Lacar is 8-5-3 with six knockouts.
In the main supporting bout, Naoya Inoue’s sparring partner Pete Apolinar (11-1, 8 KOs) takes on veteran former world title challenger Jetro Pabustan (30-7-6, 9 KOs) in a 10-rounder.
In the undercard, IBF No. 9 light flyweight Christian Araneta (17-1, 14 KOs) locks horns with Richard Rosales (14-12-2, 8 KOs) and Carlo Bacaro (5-0, 4 KOs) trades leathers with Jeffrey Stella (4-10-3, 4 KOs).
Calatrava assured that they will follow strict health protocols leading up to the show and on the event itself.
“The opponents will be arriving. We will house them in our quarters. Then seven days before the event they will all go through PCR testing as required by GAB and the IATF,” he said. (EKA)