Fast forward

Just days into the New Year, Viva Promotions is on a move in setting the stage for an explosive 2026 for Philippine boxing.

As its top guns are all either in training mode or in active rest, Viva Promotions has locked in a major fight for one of its new talents.

Miel Fajardo, whose career appeared to be taking a nosedive last year, is on the cusp of a bout that will propel him to a world title shot.

The Las Vegas-based promotional outfit manned by Sean Gibbons is arranging a world title eliminator for Fajardo against Tobias Reyes of Argentina with the International Boxing Federation (IBF) ordering it to take place.

The winner of this proposed match won’t just secure the top rating in the 112-pound category but also get a shot at the crown being held by Japanese Masamichi Yabuki.

Gibbons got representation rights to Fajardo last year when it looked as though the 26-year-old Agusan del Sur native’s career was going nowhere.

Viva Promotions immediately put Fajardo in a tough fight to test his mettle against the equally-capable Esneth Domingo during a late-October card that was a part of the Thrilla in Manila golden anniversary celebrations.

Fajardo rose to the occasion and beat Doningo in a slambang showdown, leaving Gibbons impressed with his new acquisition.

The victory raised Fajardo’s win-loss-draw record to 13-3-2 with 11 knockouts.

Anthony Arieta, a fast-rising matchmaker, has been tasked by Gibbons to work on the Fajardo-Reyes clash.

“The IBF will move forward with an official order tomorrow (today),” reported Arieta following the positive responses made by Fajardo and Reyes to the proposed IBF matchup.

Aside from Fajardo, Viva Promotions is likewise moving heaven and earth to expedite the rise of another world-rated flyweight, the iron-fisted AJ Paciones.

Like Fajardo, Paciones also saw action during the Thrilla festivities and made head a lot of heads turn with a vicious second-round demolition of Gerard Ocrarit.

Paciones, who has an unblemished 12-0-0 slate with seven knockouts, is slated to make his ring return in February.