MANILA, Philippines — A Cebu-based outfit hopes to make history by staging the first-ever boxing event in the Philippines under the new normal.
Omega Sports Promotions is scheduled to hold a boxing event in a bubble-type setting on October 7 inside the International Pharmaceuticals Inc. compound in Mandaue City, Cebu.
The event, which has more than 40 individuals are involved including the boxers, coaches, one referee and eight officials from the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), has already secured the go-signal from GAB and the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to conduct operations.
“We must do this now rather than later because we have to learn how to do a boxing event during the pandemic and because we know this is the new normal,” said promoter Jerome Calatrava during Tuesday’s PSA Forum webcast.
Calatrava said pushing through with the event despite the challenges is also a way to help struggling Filipino boxers make money amid the pandemic.
“First and foremost, we’re doing this for the care of our boxers because for the longest time, I think for six months, they don’t have any income. We’re at least giving a few boxers an opportunity to earn money.”
The card will feature the likes of up-and-comers and prospects Ronnie Mark Vicelles, Cristian Araneta, Pete Apolinar and Carlo Bacaro.
The fight was initially planned to feature all Cebuanos but the lockdown made it impossible to do.
It was also supposed to be a five-fight card, the maximum number of bouts allowed as per the joint administrative order (JAO), but one of the fighters got injured.
Calatrava added individuals have already entered the bubble since last week. The cost is estimated to be around P400,000.