MANILA, Philippines – Jhack Tepora adds to the growing list of Filipino boxing champions after claiming the World Boxing Association (WBA) interim featherweight belt. 

The pride of Cebu City dethroned former champion Edivaldo Ortega of Mexico with a 9th-round technical knockout at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Sunday, July 15. 

“I didn’t expect the win but I really trained hard for this fight for 3 long months,” the big-punching Tepora said.

He cited boxing icon Pacquiao as his inspiration. “This is more than a dream come true,” said Tepora. 

“When I saw Manny’s story, coming from the streets, I thought one day I could be like that and this is the first step to that dream.”

Waiting for his opening throughout, Tepora pounced in the 9th round and delivered a vicious right-hand uppercut to knock down Ortega in the bout that served as co-main event for the Manny Pacquiao-Lucas Matthysse fight. 

Ortega got back to his feet immediately but Tepora continued to prey on the former champion, forcing the referee to stop the fight with a minute left in the round. 

“El Capitan” remains undefeated with a 22-0 (17 KOs) record while “Indio” slips to 26-2-1 (12 KOs).  – with a report from Agence France-Presse