Wednesday, August 02, 2006
The hunt continues for Gabi
By Charles Raymond A. Maxey
IT WILL be a crucial encounter for Davao City's Diodado Gabi when he takes on Mexican Jose German Cruz in a 10-round super flyweight bout on August 10 at the Orleans Hotel Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The 27-year-old Gabi, now called "Lion Heart," will be stepping into the ring for the first time since losing to Vic Darchinyan via an eight-round knockout last March when he attempted to snatch the International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight title.
A victory over Cruz will erase the stigma somewhat of that defeat and raise his stock again in boxing's lower weight class category.
Another defeat will deal a big blow on the Filipino boxer's career.
Mike Koncz, Gabi's manager, said his ward is aching to make his return to the ring five months after the Darchinyan debacle where the Filipino pug started strong but got careless and was caught with a solid left to the jaw in the eight round.
"Gabi has been very anxious to return to the ring since his loss to Vick Darchinyan. However, this was delayed due to a suspension that was imposed by the California State Athletic commission as a result of the 8 round TKO," Koncz said.
"With his tremendous work ethic and determination we are very optimistic and confident that by the end of the year Gabi will again have the opportunity to fulfill his dream of becoming a world champion," Koncz added of Gabi, one of the finest boxers ever to come out of Davao in years.
The Gabi-Cruz encounter will serve as one of the undercards in the title fight between World Boxing Council flyweight champ Brian Viloria of the Philippines and Omar Nino.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (August 2, 2006 issue)
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