ROY HESS | Staff Writer
Although it didn’t happen due to a loss in the ring, the World Boxing Council has taken away the world lightweight championship belonging to Omar “Panterita” Figueroa Jr., declaring the Weslaco fighter “a champion in recess.”
“Panterita” is the only Rio Grande Valley-born boxer to win a world title.
News of the WBC ruling surfaced last week.
“It’s unfair,” said Omar Figueroa Sr., “Panterita’s” father and manager. “Omar earned it the hard way (by successfully defending his title against No. 1 contender Daniel Estrada in August).”
“Panterita” (24-0-1, 18 knockouts) made a WBC-mandated title defense against Mexican fighter Estrada and won with a ninth-round KO on Aug. 16, 2014, in Carson, Calif. One round prior to his KO of Estrada, Figueroa suffered a cut above his left eye that continues to be a concern. The cut became infected and the Weslaco fighter has been receiving medical treatment for it.
Figueroa Sr. said it probably will be sometime next year before his son recuperates from the injury and would be able to fight.
“Omar suffered that cut in the eighth round, and I was concerned about him (at that point),” Figueroa said. “Then Omar came back with everything (in the ninth and floored Estrada to win). Omar’s going through the healing process right now. He went to the doctor about two weeks ago and was told he should be better in about 100 days.”
Apparently, Figueroa Sr. said, the WBC is giving “Panterita” time to heal, yet the Weslaco fighter still has been stripped of his world title. Figueroa Sr. said he has been told his son, if able, would fight sometime next year against the winner between Jorge Linares (37-3, 24 KOs) of Venezuela and Javier Prieto (24-7-2, 18 KOs) of Mexico. They are set to fight for Figueroa’s vacant WBC title on Dec. 30 in Tokyo.
Also, Figueroa Sr. said his son is considering a move up in weight from 135 to 140 pounds. He said that decision would be made sometime next year at the earliest. If “Panterita” does move up to 140 pounds, he would forego any possible title fights at 135 pounds.
Another factor possibly in the mix, Figueroa Sr. said, is that his son has not re-signed with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. Soon after he turned pro in 2008 following his graduation from Weslaco East, “Panterita” signed a five-year contract with Golden Boy. That deal expired in September.
Figueroa Sr. speculated that not immediately re-signing with Golden Boy could have played a role in seeing his son lose his title without suffering a loss in the ring. Golden Boy is promoting the Linares-Prieto fight.
“You just don’t know (how not re-signing with Golden Boy might be affecting things),” Figueroa Sr. said. “Boxing is a business.
“It’s OK, though,” Figueroa Sr, said. “I hope Omar stays at 135 and proves it again (that he deserves to be the world champion).”
UPCOMING: Harlingen middleweight “King” James De La Rosa (23-2. 13 KOs), the younger brother of Juan De La Rosa, is scheduled to fight Dec. 6 against Hugo Centeno Jr. (21-0, 11 KOs) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. De La Rosa is coming off an impressive 10-round unanimous decision victory over Alfredo Angulo on Sept. 13 in Las Vegas.
Brownsville featherweight Johnny Tapia (2-0, one KO) is scheduled to fight Dec. 8 on a Golden Boy and Leija-Battah Promotions benefit boxing show at Cowboys Dancehall in San Antonio. For more information, call (210) 979-3302.