No Miami date for Gaballo
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 30 Jun 2020
Gaballo.
The boxing schedule is filling up for July and at least 14 countries are staging shows with eight states in the US joining the action. Las Vegas has five dates in the calendar, all at the MGM Grand Garden Conference Center where superbantamweight Mike Plania became the first Filipino to perform in a ring anywhere in the world last June 16 since the pandemic broke out.
Next in line is Plania’s SanMan stablemate Mark (Machete) Bernaldez who faces elongated 6-foot “Prince” Albert Bell in an eight-rounder at a catchweight of 132 pounds in Las Vegas on Thursday. Bernaldez, 26, is a natural superfeatherweight from Butuan City and has been based in Miami training with four other SanMan fighters under Cuban Moro Fernandez since early this year. Bell, 27, is a former US Golden Gloves champion with a record of 16-0, including 5 KOs.
Neither Bernaldez nor Bell is world-rated but a win over the other will be a big boost up the ladder. Bernaldez has logged three fights in the US so far, losing once and is coming off a first round stoppage of Renan Portes in General Santos City last December. His record is 20-3, with 14 KOs including seven in the first round. Bell isn’t a hard puncher and fights from a distance. He’s a slickster, lean but isn’t mean. Bernaldez is hoping to score an upset like Plania did in shocking Greer. If he’s able to crowd Bell and constrict the Prince’s space, Bernaldez could make things interesting. The idea is to make the ring a phone booth not a dancefloor. Bell likes to dictate tempo with his jab but he’s not a dangerous puncher so Bernaldez shouldn’t find it difficult to bulldoze his way inside without much artillery obstructing his path.
While Bell is the odds-on favorite, SanMan owner J. C. Manangquil said nothing is impossible. “Mark had six weeks’ notice for this fight unlike Plania who had three weeks’ notice,” he said. “He’s in very good shape, having trained with Moro in Miami.”
Three SanMan fighters are listed in a card at the Manual Artime Community Center in Miami on July 24. WBA No. 1 and IBF No. 6 bantamweight Reymart Gaballo is supposed to take on Hungary’s Szilveszter Ajtai. Welterweight Jameson Bacon will make his US debut against a still-to-be-determined opponent and superfeatherweight John Vincent Moralde is penciled to confront Hungary’s David Berna in an eight-rounder. Apparently, the Miami promotion is far from final.
MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons said yesterday Gaballo is definitely not fighting in Miami. There is talk that Gaballo may tangle with former super WBA bantamweight titlist Juan Carlos Payano of the Dominican Republic soon but nothing is confirmed. Payano is the only fighter to defeat Plania. Gaballo, 23, boasts a 23-0 record, with 20 KOs, and is touted to be the next Filipino world champion.
Another Filipino boxer John Dato is set to battle Angel Luna of the Dominican Republic in Sta. Ynez, California, on July 10. The fight was originally scheduled last April but was postponed because of the COVID-19 lockdown. Dato, 27, has a 14-0-1 record, with 9 KOs. The La Union slugger has compiled five KO wins in Mexico and should make short work of Luna who has lost five of his last six outings. Dato migrated to the US when he was seven and is based in Santa Maria, California.
Two Filipinos in Las Vegas are in the queue for fight dates. WBO bantamweight ruler JohnRiel Casimero has been in the US since February and is signed to tackle super WBA and IBF king Naoya Inoue but the triple unification championship fight has been postponed to September or October. Nonito Donaire, who lives in Las Vegas, is also waiting for a final date to challenge WBC bantamweight titleholder Nordine Oubaali.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
WBA/WBO Cruiserweight Champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez Confirms World Title Fight with David Benavidez on Cinco de Mayo in Las Vegas
Wed, 26 Nov 2025Petecio in, Paalam out
By Joaquin Henson, Wed, 26 Nov 2025Takuma Inoue World Champion Again; Beats Nasukawa for Vacant WBC Belt
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Wed, 26 Nov 2025OLYMPIC BOXING 3: 1920 OLYMPIC GAMES AT ANTWERP, BELGIUM
By Maloney L. Samaco, Wed, 26 Nov 2025Badenas TKO’s Saknosiwi in 10th round
By Lito delos Reyes, Wed, 26 Nov 2025Las Vegas & California Amateurs Shine in a Powerful Fall Rumble Weekend Followed by a Heartfelt Turkey Drive for Local Families
Wed, 26 Nov 2025Santa Run Davao on December 14 at NCCC Mall Victoria Plaza
By Lito delos Reyes, Wed, 26 Nov 2025Alec “The Rock” Del Rio Fights for WBC Asia Title Friday in Thailand
By Carlos Costa, Tue, 25 Nov 2025Eumir, Weljohn put pros on hold
By Joaquin Henson, Tue, 25 Nov 2025Toronto Topples Cleveland, 110-99 for 8th Straight Win; Holds on to 2nd in the East
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Tue, 25 Nov 2025PPP Seniors & PWD Fun Run 2025 on Dec. 13 in Talomo
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 25 Nov 2025MANNY PACQUIAO PROMOTIONS ANNOUNCES A FULL SELLOUT AND BROADCAST DETAILS AHEAD OF U.S. DEBUT EVENT THIS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, AT PECHANGA RESORT CASINO IN TEMECULA, CALIF.
Tue, 25 Nov 2025Tomorrow Night's CB Promotions Card at The Cure Insurance Arena in Trenton is Postponed
Tue, 25 Nov 2025PHL bids to host WB Congress
By Joaquin Henson, Tue, 25 Nov 2025Joel "Lethal" Lewis talks boxing evolution and upcoming Thunderdome 52 fight this Friday in Perth
Tue, 25 Nov 2025