World Boxing Association (WBA) South light flyweight champion Ronnie Vecilles scored a fourth round knockout victory against Junuel Lacar of Baguio City in boxing's historic return in the country amidst the novel coronavirus pandemic Wednesday in Mandaue City, Cebu.
Vecilles, who is also ranked No. 10 in the World Boxing Council (WBC) ratings, delivered the knockout punch on Lacar at the 1:47 mark of the fourth round of their scheduled 10-round encounter.
The match was part of the four-card fight organized by Omega Boxing Promotions – the Cebu-based outfit that conducted the first local fights with strict health protocols because of COVID-19.
The fight was held in a "bubble" at the International Pharmaceuticals Inc. (IPI).
Aside from Vecilles, fellow Omega boxers Christian Araneta, Penitente Apolinar and Carlo Bacaro also scored similar feats.
A former WBC Asia silver champion in the light flyweight division, Araneta won via unanimous decision against Richard Rosales from Bohol in their 10-round flyweight division match.
Apolinar, on the other hand, also scored a unanimous decision victory against Cagayan de Oro’s Jetro Pabustan in their 10-round featherweight fight, while stable partner Carlo Bacaro won via technical knockout opposite fellow Cebuano Jeff Stella in a six-round welterweight match.
Omega Boxing Promotions vice president Jerome Calatrava said that they are satisfied not just with the performance of their boxers, but more importantly, on how they organized the event.
“After everything we went through – from conception to implementation – we finally have done and dusted it. Hopefully sa December maulit namin ito,” Calatrava said as he credited Omega Boxing Promotions chief Pio Paulo Castillo III for his efforts to stage the event.
The event was also backed by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) led by its chairman Baham Mitra.
Through the directives of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID), GAB – together with the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the Department of Health (DOH) – formed the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) that allowed the return of pro sports like boxing and basketball.