ANOTHER ROAD BATTLE FOR TABANAO
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 05 Aug 2016
CEBU ? WBO Oriental featherweight champion Neil John Tabanao (13W-1L,9KO?s) will travel to Accra, Ghana later this month and face unbeaten Isaac Dogboe (14W-0L,9KO?s) for the WBC Youth featherweight title and unify Tabanao?s regional belt with Dogboe?s WBO Africa title.
Tabanao, who is coached by veteran trainer Brix Flores here in Cebu, started his pro career with eleven straight wins before losing a split decision to Randy Braga last year for the vacant Philippine featherweight title. Tabanao bounced back with a knockout win over journeyman Marvin Tampus before the upset win against Ibrahim Balla in Australia for the WBO Oriental belt last June.
?We have studied the video of his opponent,? Trainer Brix Flores told this writer, ?It will be a difficult fight for us. Dogboe is a good fighter and tough. But Tabanao is in good condition.?
?He has been sparring with stablemates Ardie Boyose, Adones Aguelo and Gerpaul Valero.? Flores added.
Prior to the Balla fight, the 22 year old Tabanao already had a road win tucked under his belt in Japan when he beat Thai Tienchai Sor Kanitsorn by first round TKO.
Balla was undefeated before being stopped by Tabanao in three rounds and was the reigning Australian featherweight champ. Previous articles mentioning Tabanao?s fights here in Cebu has him using the name Tabanao Singwangcha to honor Thai boxing patron Naris Singwangcha, who sponsors boxers training in the RWS Gym.
Tabanao, who was born in Panabo City, Davao del Norte, will try to duplicate the road win of another RWS Boxer, Marlon Tapales, who won the WBO world bantamweight title last July 27 by stopping Pungluang Sor Singyu in eleven rounds in Thailand.
He will have his hands full against the 21 year old Dogboe, who represented Ghana as a teenager in the 2012 London Olympics.
Dogboe?s first two pro bouts were in Switzerland and the U.K. before he had five fights in the U.S. He would return to his native Ghana and in 2015 garnered the West African Boxing Union and WBO Africa featherweight belts.
Tabanao vs Dogboe will be held August 26 at the Police Officer?s Social and Fitness Centre in Accra and is billed by the promoters as ?Africa vs Asia.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
NEWCASTLE PRESS CONFERENCE: WHAT WAS SAID AS JOSH KELLY AND BAKHRAM MURTAZALIEV ARE KEPT APART AFTER HEATED FACE-OFF
Fri, 30 Jan 2026Weights From ProBoxTV’s ‘Flores vs. Castillo’ at Live! Casino Hotel Maryland
Fri, 30 Jan 2026WAPA Deportes Confirmed as Puerto Rican Broadcast Home for Saturday’s Xander Zayas vs. Abass Baraou Title Unification Showdown
Fri, 30 Jan 2026Legendary Panamanian Juan Carlos Tapia will be inducted into the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Fri, 30 Jan 2026Manny Pacquiao Promotions Announces Additional Matchups for Saturday, February 28 Event at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York
Fri, 30 Jan 2026SWERVE TV STRIKES MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS TO EXPAND PREMIUM BOXING CONTENT
Fri, 30 Jan 2026Leuenbergers to join IRONMAN® 70.3 Davao
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 30 Jan 2026Open Workout: Xander Zayas and Abass Baraou Prepare For Saturday's Unification Showdown in Puerto Rico
Thu, 29 Jan 2026Cabrera-Zapata Kicks Off All Star Boxing's 2026 Season
Thu, 29 Jan 2026Manny Pacquiao Chess Philippines: Cash prizes, FIDE rating at stakes this Sunday
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 29 Jan 2026IBP Fun Run & Family Day on February 15
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 29 Jan 2026TEOFIMO LOPEZ AND SHAKUR STEVENSON FACE-OFF AT KNICKS GAME AS COUNTDOWN TO ‘THE RING 6’ ON SATURDAY BEGINS
Wed, 28 Jan 2026Davao to sponsor P500K in IRONMAN 70.3
By Lito delos Reyes, Wed, 28 Jan 2026JOSH KELLY SOUNDS WARNING TO WORLD TITLE RIVAL BAKHRAM MURTAZALIEV AS HE TARGETS HISTORIC NORTH EAST HOMECOMING
Wed, 28 Jan 2026Gallegos and Alvarez Shine Bright with Knockout Wins at Fontainebleau Las Vegas
Wed, 28 Jan 2026