BARELY a week after winning the World Boxing Organization Oriental bantamweight championship, Dayer Gabutan will not rest on his laurels as he jumps back to another workout for his mandatory title defense.
Gabutan's title defense will be known within the next few weeks and he will defend his title after 120 days, the mandatory title defense being given to regional champions under the WBO rule.
The Ambagiw, Besao native captured his first professional boxing title when he defeated Jilo Merlin via a unanimous decision (116-113 twice and 115-113) in their 12-round minor title fight recently in Angeles City, Pampanga.
After two years of strutting his wares in the local professional boxing, Gabutan finally hit pay dirt after he got help from Thai promoter Nari Singwangcha aside from the backing of Brico Santig - his local promoter.
Gabutan's victory against Julius Agcopra last May proved to be his stepping stone to inch closer to the vacant WBO Oriental bantamweight division.
"Nung naghahanap sila ng ilalaban sa championship ng WBO, sinabi ng manager ko na si Brico na subukan daw naming lumaban tapos yun na," Gabutan said.
Discipline and hard work were his weapons when he stepped into the ring recently and the long road run during his workout paid off as the 21-year-old automotive mechanic graduate shots up to number five in the country's bantamweight division ranking. He used to be in the top 20.
His rankings in the international bantamweight division is also expected to shoot up where he is currently the number 13 with fellow Filipino boxers lording it over in the division.
Malcolm Tunacao is currently the highest ranked bantamweight with Michael Domingo at second. AJ Banal, the recently crowned Asia Pacific bantamweight champion is also in the list.
"Sa ngayon concentrate muna ako sa training para nakahanda na sa susunod na laban ko," added Gabutan.
"Malaki ang tsansa ng batang yan na mag world champion. Disiplinado. Masipag mag-training at laging nakikinig," added his month-long trainer Pergentino Gallego, a former professional boxer of the late 70s.