Jhack Tepora with his team. /CDN file
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Jhack “El Capitan” Tepora is still the World Boxing Association (WBA) interim featherweight champion despite not making weight in his first title defense against Mexico’s Hugo Ruiz.
The Cebuano Tepora, in a conversation with Cebu Daily News Digital, denied that he was stripped of his title because of the blunder.
“Wala man nakuha akong title…still champion man gihapon ko,” said the 23-year-old Tepora from Liloan, Cebu.
The Tepora-Ruiz match would have been the main undercard of the showdown in the Manny Pacquiao versus Adrien Broner match last January 19 (January 20, Philippine time) in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Read: ‘Aggressive but careful’ Manny Pacquiao cruises to victory
It would have been Tepora’s debut fight in the USA and his chance to show the world what he can do.
But he failed to make weight, tipping the scales 5.5 pounds over the 126-pound limit. He was given two hours to make the weight but was not able to do so. His fight, thus, was cancelled and Alberto Guevarra was made to face Ruiz instead.
Read: Hugo Ruiz dominates Jhack Tepora replacement in featherweight bout
Tepora clinched the WBA interim featherweight title back in July of 2018 when he stopped Mexico’s Edivaldo Ortega in 9 rounds in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Lucas Matthysse bout at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur.
Blessing in disguise
Tepora is philosophical about the incident and had hinted that it could have been a blessing in disguise from the Sr. Sto. Niño.
“Sige lang, wala man sad ko na sayangan. Mura gigabayan sad ko ning Senyor Santo Niño kay wala jud siya mo tugut na ma kuha akong bakus ug mapildi kos duwa,” said Tepora.
(It’s okay and I don’t think it was a waste. It was like I was also guided by the Sr. Sto. Niño because He did not allow my belt to be taken away in case I lost the fight.)
As for now, Tepora said he will continue to train so he will be ready just in case another fight will come up for him.
According to Salven Lagumbay, an international boxing judge, there is a big possibility that Tepora will eventually get to face Ruiz because they would have to settle the WBA interim featherweight title between them. /bjo
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