AFTER a silver medal finish in kickboxing in the 31st Southeast Asian Games, Gretel De Paz quickly returns to the ring, this time as a boxer, next month in Australia.
De Paz is up against Aussie prospect Taylah Robertson in a six-rounder on June 15 at the Nissan Arena in Queensland.
The 29-year-old De Paz returns to the boxing ring after a two-year absence. Her last fight in boxing was in 2020, wherein she lost to Susie Ramadan by unanimous decision in a world championship fight for the Women’s International Boxing Association super flyweight belt in Australia.
De Paz has fought the likes of current World Boxing Organization Female super flyweight champion Miyo Yoshida, former International Boxing Federation Women’s super bantamweight titleholder Cherneka Johnson and one-time world title challenger and fellow Filipina Carleans Rivas.
De Paz has been training in kickboxing and represented the Philippines in the recent SEA Games. She settled for a silver medal after losing to Indonesia’s Diandra Ariesta Pieter, 3-0, in the -65 KG Women’s Kickboxing Finals.
Meanwhile, Robertson hasn’t fought for over five months.
Robertson is coming off a unanimous decision win over Kylie Fulmer last December to win the Australia Female bantamweight strap.
Robertson’s only career loss is against veteran Shannon O’Connell, who beat her by split decision last year.
De Paz is 6-6-2 with two knockouts, while Robertson is 4-1 with a knockout.