AGUELO FIGHTS ESPINO TODAY FOR THE GAB PHL FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 05 Jan 2013
Adonis Aguelo.
Adonis Aguelo, the number one Philippine featherweight contender, will face number two contender Cirilo Espino today at the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology Gym in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte. Aguelo is from Maasin City and is now fighting out of the Flores Boxing Gym of Mandaue City, while Espino hails from Sarangani and is now fighting out of Lipa City, Batangas.
At stake will be the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) featherweight title vacated by Michael Fare?as who moved up to the higher superfeatherweight division. Aguelo won the interim Philippine featherweight title when he won over Jerry Nardo in Compostela, Cebu on July 22 of last year. Nardo who is from Bacolod City, was unable to continue when he was hit by hard body punches from Aguelo in the fifth round. He retired from the fight going into the sixth round.
The reason for this interim title is that reigning Philippine featherweight champion Fare?as was scheduled to challenge for the WBA world superfeatherweight title against Takashi Uchiyama in Japan which resulted in a technical draw. Fare?as also lost the interim WBA title to Yuriorkis Gamboa as the undercard of Pacquiao-Marquez 4.
Espino lost to Shogo Ishikawa on November 11 last year in Ginowan, Japan by an 8th round unanimous decision. Prior to that fight, he won over Masatoshi Kotani by 9th round TKO on July 8, 2012 in Nakagusuku, Japan. He lost to Carlos Lopez on June 3, 2012 for the WBO Asia Pacific superbantamweight title by majority decision in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Aguelo won the vacant Philippines Boxing Federation (PBF) featherweight belt over Eric Macas in 2009 and won it again over Jake Verano in 2011. He also snatched the PBF superbantamweight crown over Tiny Tyson in 2008. Aguelo?s professional record is now 18-7-1 with 11 KO wins. Espino on the other hand has a 17-11-2 (11 KOs) slate.
Aguelo has since successfully defended his PBF title over Godwin Tubigon in Mandaue City by 4th round KO and over Renan Branzuela by unanimous decision in Lapu-Lapu City.
He failed in his first attempt at the GAB Philippine featherweight crown when he lost to Vinvin Rufino in Pasay City in 2010 by majority decision. Rufino is now the number three Philippine featherweight contender.
Aguelo hails from Barangay Matin-ao of Maasin City and is the son of the former village chief Gregorio Aguelo, himself a former boxer. It was his father who first introduced him the basics of boxing and he was later turned over by his father to the Maasin City Sports Council under the late trainer Tiny Espina.
He then participated as an amateur boxer in various inter-city developmental boxing championships and the national youth boxing championships. He turned professional at the age of 19 and was taken by Rex Wakee Salud stable under trainer Brix Flores. Later he was managed by Japanese boxing patron Akira Sato.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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