Reymart Gaballo. | Facebook photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Former world title challenger Reymart “Assassin” Gaballo will likely get a chance for another world title shot after the World Boxing Council (WBC) officially ordered a world title eliminator bout against another contender this year.
The 26-year-old Gaballo of the vaunted Sanman Boxing Team in General Santos City will face Nawaphon Kaikanha of Thailand for a world title eliminator bout for the WBC world bantamweight title.
The winning boxer will earn a shot for the soon to be vacant WBC world bantamweight title currently being held by Japanese boxing super star Naoya Inoue who is planning to move up weight.
It can be recalled that Gaballo fought and lost to erstwhile WBC world bantamweight champion and fellow Filipino Nonito Donaire Jr. last December 2021 in Carson City, California.
Gaballo suffered his first defeat in the hands of Donaire Jr. via a fourth round knockout.
Nonetheless, Gaballo bounced back strong and wrested the WBC Asian Boxing Council continental bantamweight and the WBO Oriental bantamweight titles roughly a year after his loss to Donaire Jr.
He earned both titles by scoring a second round technical knockout against Ricardo Sueno in General Santos City in his comeback fight.
Gaballo has a record of 25 wins with 21 knockouts and 1 defeat. He is one of the prospects in the Philippine boxing scene to win a world title. He and the reigning WBO world minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem are under one promoter, JC Manangquil of Sanman Boxing.
Meanwhile, Kaikanha, 31 has a more experienced record of 57 wins with 47 knockouts, 2 defeats, and 1 draw.
Fascinatingly, Kaikanha only fought once outside Thailand. He fought and suffered his second defeat in the hands of former world title challenger Jason Moloney in Melbourne, Australia in October last year.
Besides having the more experienced record, Kaikanha is very familiar in fighting Filipino boxers.
He already fought and won against a bunch of Filipino opponents in Ryan Lumacad, Richard Claveras, Sonny Boy Jaro,
Roque Lauro, Macrea Gandionco, Geboy Mansalayao, Wiljan Ugbaniel, Powell Balaba, Jayar Estremos, Michael Landero, and many more.
Currently, Gaballo has been training rigidly with Nonito Donaire’s father and former trainer, Nonito Sr. in General Santos City.
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