REYMART Gaballo quickly took care of business and needed just 32 seconds to dispose of fellow former interim world champion Phai Pharob in his World Boxing Organization (WBO) Oriental bantamweight title defense on Feb. 13, 2024 at the Midas Hotel and Casino in Parañaque City.
The 27-year-old Gaballo threw a three-punch combination that dropped Pharob to the canvas. He connected first with a left hook to the head and followed it up with a right straight before dropping Pharob with a devastating left hook to the ribs.
Pharob failed to beat referee Danrex Tapdasan’s 10-count and remained on the canvas writhing in pain.
“He’s starting to get what I want him to do. I told him that he needs accuracy in his punches because previously he had a lot of wasted punches,” Gaballo’s coach, Nonito Donaire Sr., told SunStar Cebu. “He has improved a lot since I first coached him. He’s more accurate, has a better stance, has improved stamina and is now more mature.”
Gaballo improved to 27-1 with 22 knockouts, while Pharob fell to 35-4 with 27 knockouts.
Gaballo is the current No. 1 contender in WBO’s bantamweight division.
According to Donaire Sr., his ward will be challenging WBO bantamweight king Jason Moloney in May in Australia.
Gaballo’s handler Sanman Promotions is working out the details of the fight.
In the co-main feature, world-rater super flyweight KJ Cataraja had a successful ring return from a year layoff with a unanimous decision victory over Jun Blazo.
Cataraja dominated Blazo most of the fight with his powerful combinations. He knocked down Blazo in the third round with a vicious left hook.
Cataraja, who trains at the Zip-Sanman Wellness Center in Cebu City, remained undefeated at 17-0 with 13 knockouts, while Blazo dropped to 17-9-3 with 12 knockouts.