SPORTS SHORTS 2: GABALLO SURPRISES THE BOXING WORLD
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 23 Dec 2020
Reymart Gaballo of Polomolok, South Cotabato won a contentious split decision victory against Emmanuel Rodriguez of Manatí, Puerto Rico to win the World Boxing Council interim bantamweight championship, Saturday at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. He substituted Nonito Donaire who was tested positive for COVID-19. Gaballo (24-0, 20 KOs) surprised almost everybody by defeating Rodriguez (19-2, 12 KOs).
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After 12 rounds, two of the judges favored Gaballo, with Don Trella of Connecticut scored it 116-112 and John McKaie of New York saw it 115-113, while the third judge David Sutherland of Oklahoma had the fight 118-110 for Rodriguez who was 28-years-old. Before the defeat to Gaballo, he was also beaten by the undefeated boxer Naoya Inoue of Zama, Japan and lost his IBF bantamweight title.
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“I am very happy and blessed to win this belt,” said the 24-year-old Gaballo was quoted by Bad Left Hook. “I was always moving forward and controlling the pace, so I thought it was a close fight that either of us could have won. I’m waiting for my team to tell me what they have planned for me next. I’m going to keep training hard so I’m always ready for the opportunity when it comes.”
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According to Compubox, Rodriguez landed 109 of his 372 total punches thrown for 29 percent, while Gaballo connected 93 of his 520 punches thrown for 18 percent. Rodriguez hit 64 of 181 power punches for 35 percent, while Gaballo scored 68 of 323 for 21 percent. The fight was so close that only three of the twelve rounds were Rodriguez and Gaballo separated by more than three landed punches.
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Gaballo threw 148 more total punches than Rodriguez but connected just 16 fewer power punches. It goes to show that the Filipino was more active than the Puerto Rican during the fight. Gaballo was also ahead by 142 power punches thrown which convinced the two judges that Gaballo was more aggressive and quicker than Rodriguez who was rated as the world's fifth best active bantamweight by the The Ring.
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Gaballo turned professional in 2014 and won 18 consecutive fights before challenging and defeating American Stephon Young of Saint Louis, Missouri for the WBA interim bantamweight title in 2018. Young was the same fighter whom Nonito Donaire Jr. knocked out in the sixth round to retain his WBA bantamweight title and make the World Boxing Super Series final fight with Inoue. Young was a late replacement of South African southpaw Zolani Tete who pulled out due to a shoulder injury.
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Manny Pacquiao lost to Jeff Horn for the WBO welterweight championship billed as the Battle of Brisbane on July 2, 2017 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia. Horn won the fight by a controversial unanimous decision in front of an audience of 51,052 when the three judges scored it 117–111, 115–113, 115–113 in his favor. Horn used dirty tactics and illegal blows including elbows and headbutts, causing cuts on Pacquiao's face three times in the fight.
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CompuBox stats showed that Pacquiao landed 182 out of 573 punches thrown (32%), while Horn connected 92 of 625 thrown (15%). Pacquiao had a 123-73 edge in power punches landed. But Horn threw more power punches than Pacquiao 428-380. That means the three judges gave weight on the aggressiveness and the activity of Horn's punches than Pacquiao's accuracy and more telling blows.
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ESPN's Dan Rafael on his own scored the fight 117–111 while ESPN analyst Teddy Atlas saw it 116–111, both for Pacquiao. The Guardian and the International Business Times also favored Pacquiao 117–111. BoxingScene had it 116–112 again for Pacquiao, while CBS Sports saw the fight 114–114 even. BoxNation's Steve Bunce had the fight 115–113 for Horn. A total 12 of 15 sports media outlets scored the bout for Pacquiao, 2 of 15 favored Horn and 1 decided a draw.
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The Philippines Games and Amusements Board requested the World Boxing Organization to rescore the Pacquiao-Horn fight. The WBO then hired five anonymous judges from different countries who evaluated the fight round-by-round. The WBO however clarified that they cannot reverse the original result of the fight. Based on the five judges' assessment, the WBO rescored the fight 115–113, 7 rounds to 5 in favor of Horn.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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