Monday, October 16, 2006 Davao fighter comes home to celebrate son's birthday By Charles Raymond A. Maxey
BEFORE he climbed into the ring for his latest fight in the United States, Diosdado Gabi asked his manager-trainer Freddie Roach if he could return home for his son's birthday.
Gabi, the little boxer from Davao City with a big fighting heart, planed in quietly from Los Angeles last Sept. 10 for a much-needed vacation and in time for his son's second birthday.
Gabi took a Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight from LA, with the plane making a brief stopover in Guam to refuel before heading to Manila. From Manila, he immediately boarded a domestic flight back to the City of Durian.
The Davao boxer was welcomed at the Davao International Airport around noontime Tuesday by his wife Eva Joy, their son Prince and a handful of relatives. From the airport, the group headed straight to Agdao where Gabi feasted on bulalo and lechon manok.
"It's good to be back home," Gabi said in the vernacular when Sun.Star caught up with him in his home in Lasang Friday night.
Two days earlier, the Gabi residence was teeming with guests, friends and neighbors as the boxer hosted a party for his son's birthday. Gabi had toys and chocolate bars as gifts for Prince.
Gabi said he was happy to be with his family again, and couldn't be happier now that he belongs to Oscar dela Hoya's family of boxers.
The Filipino boxer recently signed a deal with dela Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, a five-fight contract with a minimum pay of $7,000 per fight. He was also given a signing bonus of $5,000 when he signed the contract with GBP vice president Eric Gomez, and in the presence of Roach.
Gabi said he was also given an assurance by GBP it will work for a possible title shot for him next year.
The crack at another world boxing title will come in his third fight.
In his latest ring appearance, his first fight under GBP, Gabi made a rousing debut as he stopped Felipe Rivas in the first round in Tucson, Arizona.
Hardly had the euphoria of his latest outing died down in the Gabi camp, the Davao boxer immediately packed up and headed for home.
"Take care, and give my regards to your family," Gabi quoted Roach as telling him just before he boarded the plane.
The stuff inside his baggage included a speedball. Roach, Gabi said, wants to make sure he will continue training while in Davao.
Gabi will travel back to America soon as another big fight looms in December for the Davao boxer.
