The Omega Pro Sports International (OPSI) will be kicking off its long list of sporting activities this year with the staging of the “Rumble sa Talamban” boxing card slated on Feb. 18 at the Talamban Sports Complex in Cebu City.
The 11-fight card, which starts at 6 p.m., will be headlined by Omega Boxing Gym’s Jhaleel Payao (14W-1L-0D-11 Kos), who will fight Jason Tinampay (8W-3L-1D-7 KOs) for the vacant Philippine Boxing Federation bantamweight championship belt.
Payao once held the WBC Youth Super Flyweight championship and the PBF Super Flyweight titles.
Tinampay, known as a hard-hitting fighter with seven of his wins coming by way knockout, fought but lost to Payao’s unbeaten stablemate Jhack Tepora for the WBO Youth Junior Featherweight title last year.
The supporting main event will put Omega’s Jimboy Haya (9W-3L-2D-7KOs) versus Ken Jordan (4W-0L, 4 KOs) Haya is looking get back on track after losing his last assignment against Vic Saludar.
Foreign fighters will spice up the event held in partnership with Barangay Talamban through its Barangay Captain Dario Arcilla.
Japan’s Octata Masayuki will take on Johnrey Espinosa of Compostela, Cebu, while Ming Hong Lee of Taiwan will trade leathers with Wilfredo Ruta, also from Compostela town.
“This is just a start for OPSI. We’ll follow this up with “Who’s Next?” 4 on March 18 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino,” said OPSI President Pio Paulo Castillo.
It will be a busy year for the Omega Gym fighters with two of their marquee boxers set to fight abroad next month.
Kenny Demecillo will fight Mark Anthony Geraldo for the WBO Oriental bantamweight title in Hong Kong on March 11, while Jason Canoy will contend for the WBF World bantamweight belt against Mzuvukile “Old Bones” Magwaca in South Africa on March 31.
Aside from boxing events, OPSI is also working on a basketball tournament that will be participated by teams from various towns and cities in Cebu.