Gabutan trainer eyes early finish for Indon foe

THE confidence to finish the fight early is Dayer Gabutan’s game plan when he goes up the ring at the La Trinidad municipal gym next month.

Gabutan will defend his WBO Oriental bantamweight crown against Indonesian champion Rasmanudin and the Besao, Mt. Province native will need the entire arsenal when they square off on October 13.

“Kelangan pa nya ng mas mataas na kumpyansa para mapabagsak yung kalaban. Ang kagandahan lang kay Dayer nakikinig sya sa mga sinabsabi namin,” said Gabutan’s chief trainer Joven Jorda.

Super featherweight Ranel Suco is the primary sparring partner for Gabutan who will also fight on October 27 in China for the vacant WBC Asian Boxing Council super featherweight title.

Gabutan will co-headline the event dubbed “Twin Rumble” with Asian Boxing Council minimum weight champion Matteo Handig squaring off against former world champion Katsunari Takayama.

Handig’s bout against Takayama will be a title eliminator and the number one ranking in the International Boxing Federation.

Denver Cuello and Florante Condes are expected to be brought to the La Trinidad Gym to serve as spar mates for Handig, a native of Catarman, Northern Samar but now based in La Trinidad, as he faces former minimum weight world champion Katsunari Takayama of Japan.

Rasmanudin is coming off a two fight streak scoring a unanimous victory over Rian Djabar and another majority decision against Gun Tinular for the Indonesia Professional Boxing Commission bantamweight title.

Gabutan meanwhile is on a 12 bout winning streak capped by a 12 round unanimous victory over Dado Cabintoy to retain his bantamweight crown last May.

Aside from the double header of the evening, several undercards are also set to set the tone for the La Trinidad boxers.

Up and coming boxer Alvin Rey Tam of Kapangan is also part of the four stacked supporting event and will be facing Jestoni Pepito of Cebu.

Tam, son of former boxing champion Rey and the country’s featherweight champion, will gun for his 12th win, which includes three losses, while Pepito seeks his first win after racking up nine successive losses in his last 10 fights.

Former WBC youth champion Nathan Bolcio also returns to the ring eyeing for an 11th win after losing two consecutive fights of his four losses. This time, he will square off against Mandaluyong’s Aramdo Casa with a record of 11 wins and 9 losses.

Stephen Gelawa will box off against Arnel Taganas, while Rex Wa-o takes on Danilo Gabisan in the curtain raisers.