Highland Boxing Gym’s Jayr Raquinel will face the more veteran Giemel Magramo for the vacant Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation flyweight title at the Elorde Sports Center in Parañaque City on Oct. 23.
The 24-year-old Raquinel, who once held the title, has already travelled to Metro Manila where he will continue his training and quarantine before the fight day.
Next week’s fight could be a tough test yet for Raquinel, as he will enter the ring after a two-year hiatus from boxing.
His last fight was in Nov. 22, 2019 when he knocked out Jack Amisa of Indonesia in the first round to defend the OPBF belt, which he later vacated during the pandemic.
Raquinel won the OPBF belt in March 2018 when he stopped Keisuke Nakayama in Tokyo, Japan. He also defended the belt against another Japanese boxer Shun Kosaka.
At present, Raquinel has 12 wins, against one loss, and one draw.
But this time, Raquinel and his training camp must execute a good fight plan against the 27-year-old Magramo, who is one of the top flyweight boxers in Asia.
Magramo currently holds a professional record of 24 wins against two losses, and has defeated some of the best boxers in the division the past years.
Magramo was former World Boxing Organization Oriental and WBO International flyweight champion.
His last fight was in November 2020 when he was stopped by Junto Nakatani for the vacant WBO World flyweight bout in Japan. – Harley F. Palangchao
