Araneta’s title win could usher in Cebu’s boxing resurgence—Omega Sports exec

Cristian Araneta | Omega Boxing photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — An official of Omega Sports Promotions believes that a world title win by their prized fighter, Cristian “The Bomb” Araneta, could breathe new life into Cebu’s once-thriving boxing scene—one of the promotion’s core aspirations as a leading force in Philippine boxing.

Araneta faces a career-defining challenge as the No. 1 contender in the IBF world light flyweight division.

He is set to battle Thailand’s No. 2-ranked Thanongsak Simsri on June 19 at the Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan. A victory would make Araneta the fifth Cebuano to become a world boxing champion.

According to Omega Sports Promotions Vice President Andrew Singco, the upcoming title bout holds immense significance not just for Araneta, but for the future of Cebu’s local boxing landscape.

“It’s been a while since Cebu had a world champion, and I believe that’s the missing ingredient to take our local boxing scene to the next level. Cebu needs a champion to rally behind,” Singco said in an interview with CDN Digital.

“I can’t reveal much yet, but we already have a plan in place—should Cristian win the belt,” he added.

SETBACKS

Singco recalled the setbacks Araneta faced on the road to this opportunity, including a serious wrist injury during his title eliminator training camp last year.

“We’ve been waiting for this moment since last year. Unfortunately, Cristian injured his left wrist and had to undergo surgery followed by months of rehab. Thankfully, the IBF kept him in the rankings,” he said.

Despite the challenges, Singco remains confident in Araneta’s chances. He highlighted the fighter’s mental fortitude, forged through adversity, as one of his greatest assets.

“I saw what he went through during recovery. He trained with one hand, even sparred like that, and we saw the results when he returned to beat Magramo and Yotboon,” Singco added.

Araneta, a native of Borbon town in northern Cebu, holds a professional record of 25 wins (20 by knockout) against 2 losses. His Thai opponent, Simsri, enters the ring with a more extensive record of 38 wins (34 by KO) and just one loss.