Hard-hitting John Paul Gabunilas attempts to end his recent slump as he challenges Thai champion Thanongsak Simsri for the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) light flyweight title Sunday night, Aug. 4, 2024, at the Edion Arena in Osaka, Japan.
The 23-year-old Gabunilas is eager to return to his winning ways after two consecutive defeats.
He lost to knockout artist Miel Fajardo via a first-round technical knockout in an OPBF light flyweight contest on Aug. 15, 2023, in Lapu-Lapu City and suffered a fifth-round stoppage in the hands of Japanese Kanamu Sakama in Japan four months later.
“This will be a good fight. We prepared really hard for this fight. My inspiration is to win it for my teammates that recently lost in Japan,” said Gabunilas. “I’ll let my fight do the talking and do my best to win this fight.”
Gabunilas’ ARQ Boxing teammates Rodex Piala, Yeroge Gura, and BJ Wild all suffered losses in their recent fights in Japan.
Although Gabunilas isn’t fighting a Japanese opponent, he’ll still have a tough assignment with Simsri, who’s highly rated in the world.
Simsri is currently ranked No. 4 by both the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and International Boxing Federation (IBF), and No. 17 by the World Boxing Council (WBC).
A win over Simsri should improve Gabunilas’ world ranking in the light flyweight division, where he’s ranked No. 30 by the WBC.
The 24-year-old Simsri is closing in on a world title shot, and a victory over Gabunilas could earn him that.
Simsri won the biggest fight of his career on April 13, 2024, after dethroning Fajardo to win the OPBF belt in Japan.
Simsri’s only career loss is a seventh-round stoppage to former world champion Masamichi Yabuki in 2022.
Gabunilas is 10-3 with seven knockouts, while Simsri is 34-1 with 31 knockouts.
Meanwhile, another Pinoy fighter is also slated to see action on the same day.
Rhonvex Capuloy of Cebu City’s Big Yellow Boxing Gym locks horns with 23-year-old Japanese prospect Shunpei Ohata in an eight-rounder at the FujisanMesse in Fuji.
The 28-year-old Capuloy last saw action in a WBC Far East super featherweight title fight last Jan. 20, 2024, in South Korea.
He fought Chinese Zhi Gang Zhang to a controversial technical draw.
Ohata, on the other hand, is looking to bounce back after losing his last bout to Kai Watanabe by a majority decision.
Capuloy is 11-2-3 with eight knockouts, while Ohata is 2-1 with a knockout.