Jaca bids for 2nd OPBF title today

Cebu-honed ring gladiator Jimrex Jaca shoots for his second Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation crown as he takes on Nobuhito Honmo for the vacant OPBF super featherweight belt today at the historic Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

This will be the second time Jaca vies for an OPBF plum. He once reigned as the OPBF super bantamweight champion, but relinquished his throne even before climbing up the ring due to weight troubles in his title defense against Japanese Yasuo Kunimi on May 30, 2004 in Kanazawa.

Jaca went lost via seventh round knockout to Kunimi. It was Jaca's only defeat, so far, in 27 fights that include one draw and 11 victories via stoppage.

Jaca, a native of Sibulan, Negros Oriental, was impressive in his previous fight, which was incidentally his US debut, as he scored a smashing first round knockout of Mexican Geronimo Hernandez in the undercard of Pacquiao-Morales II last January 21 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

During yesterday's official weigh-in at the Japan Boxing Commission headquarters in Tokyo, Jaca scaled in at 127.4 pounds, while Honmo weighed 129.6 lbs.

The 29-year-old Honmo, who boasts of a 27-4-2 win-loss-draw record, is a noted endurance fighter. He won his last five fights by decision - all at the Korakuen Hall.

Solar Sports, the country's number one sports television network, will cover the event starting at 9 pm with replay on May 26 at 5 pm.

If he gets past Honmo, Jaca trains his sights next on a showdown with Adrian Valdez of Mexico underneath Manny Pacquiao's WBC International jr lightweight title defense against Mexican Oscar Larios on July 2 at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.