TABANAO IN CRUCIAL BATTLE VS. DOGBOE
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 26 Aug 2016
WBO Oriental featherweight titlist Neil John Tabanao (13W-1L,9KO?s) of the Philippines is set for the most important fight of his four year professional career this August 26 against WBO Africa featherweight title-holder Isaac Dogboe (14W-0L,9KO?s) of Ghana at the Police Officer?s Social and Fitness Centre in Accra, Ghana.
This fight will enable the winner to move up the rankings of the World Boxing Organization (WBO). The August 2016 rankings of the WBO has Dogboe at number 12 and Tabanao at number 15 in the 126 lb division. The reigning WBO world featherweight champion is Oscar Valdez (20-0,18KO?s) of Mexico.
Dogboe and Tabanao will also dispute the vacant WBC Youth featherweight title and will be an added boost to the world ranking of the winner. Tabanao is accompanied by veteran trainer Brix Flores.
Flores informed this writer that the adversaries weighed an identical 124.8lbs during the official weigh-in.
The 22 year old Tabanao?s biggest career win so far was against the erstwhile undefeated Ibrahim Balla, who was stopped by Tabanao in three rounds last June for the WBO Oriental belt. Balla was also the reigning Australian featherweight champ.
The 21 year old Dogboe represented Ghana as a teenager in the 2012 London Olympics. Last year, he garnered the West African Boxing Union and WBO Africa featherweight belts.
The most distinguished world boxing champion from Ghana is the legendary Azumah Nelson, who held the WBC featherweight and WBC super featherweight crowns. Filipino fight fans are also familiar with another Ghanaian boxer,Joshua Clottey, who lost a one-sided unanimous decision to Manny Pacquiao in WBO welterweight world title bout in 2010.
For the boxing fans and scribes in the Philippines who are awaiting the result of this fight, take note that Manila time is 8 hours ahead of Accra.
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