Big Yellow Boxing Gym’s chief trainer Christopher “Ping-ping” Tepora is flanked by his boxers Reycar Auxilio (left) and Allan Villanueva (right). | Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines— Two Big Yellow Boxing Gym pugilists are eyeing to stage huge upsets in the upcoming “Kumbati” boxing series slated on March 27, 2021, at the IPI Compound in Mandaue City.
Christopher “Ping-Ping” Tepora, Big Yellow Boxing Gym’s head trainer, will pit his unbeaten ward Allan Villanueva and pro debutee Reycar Auxilio against equally-tough Omega Boxing Gym boxers.
Villanueva holds an unblemished record of 11 wins with 8 knockouts. He will go up against Omega Boxing Gym’s Carlo Bacaro, who is also unbeaten at 7-0-0 (win-loss-draw) with 6 knockouts. They will fight for 8 rounds under the 140 lbs division.
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Meanwhile, Auxilio faces Omega Boxing Gym’s Benny Cañete for 4 rounds in the 118 lbs division. Cañete slightly has the upper hand in terms of experience as he already passed his first professional bout on December 18, 2020 against John Roque Villagonzalo where he won via a technical knockout at the IPI Compound.
“Akong tan-aw ani 50-50 ra among chance ani nga dula,” Tepora told CDN Digital.
(The way I see it. We have a 50-50 chance in winning the fight.)
Tepora, who happens to be a former trainer of Omega Boxing Gym, said that he was familiar with Bacaro’s style and skills inside the ring.
He said that they already have the perfect game plan to beat Bacaro.
However, he expects a war between Villanueva and his former boxer.
“Ako nagpasulod anang Bacaro sa Omega sa una. Para nako nindot kaayo na ilang dula kay pareho sila mga isog,” added Tepora.
(I was the one who let Bacaro join Omega before. For me, their fight is a nice fight because they are both brave fighters.)
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Tepora, like most boxing stables in the country, did not stop their training amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said they have been training since last year, even if they did not have scheduled fights.
For 24-year old Villanueva, a native of Danao City, northern Cebu, he believes that his win over Bacaro will open up more opportunities and bigger fights for him.
“Giandaman jud ni namo for two months kapin,” said Villanueva.
(We prepared for more than two months for this fight.)
“Para nako salig ko sa akong kaugalingon makadaog ko. Para nako dili ni lisud nga fight kay mas taas ko ug experience kumpara niya. Dili ko mo saad nga i knockout nako siya pero akong paninguhaon nga modaog ko,” he said.
(For me, I believe in myself winning against him. For me, this is not a difficult fight because I have more experience when compared to him. I will not promise that I will knock him out but I will do my best to win in the fight.)
Meanwhile, Auxilio, 23, from San Agustin, Talibon, Bohol said that he had been dreaming of becoming a professional boxer since he was a kid. An amateur standout, Auxilio was one of the two boxers that Tepora had been grooming since last year because of their huge potential.
“Dugay nako nangandoy mahimong pro boxer. Akong pangandoy jud mahimong world champion unta. Mao na akong ampo pirmi sa ginoo,” said Auxilio.
(I have long dreamed of becoming a pro boxer. I dreamed of becoming a world champion. That is what I have been praying to God.)
“Akong ikasulti sa akong kontra sa umaabot nako nga fight, good luck namong duha. Gipaningkamotan jud ni nako ug training maong salig ra sad ko sa akong kaugalingon,” he said.
(What I can say about my foe in the upcoming fight is good luck to both of us. I have worked hard for this in training that is why that I believe and had more confidence in myself.)
The other amateur boxer is Patrick Gancuangco, who will make his debut this April.
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