SABILLO IS NO TOOTHLESS TIGER
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 11 Mar 2013
The first time I saw Merlito Sabillo up close was when he won the vacant Philippine minimumweight title. That was three years ago in his home town of Bacolod City. His fight against Jetly Purisima was one of the rare times that a referee never yelled ?break? or had to separate the fighters. They simply went at each other like wild dogs and brought the crowd to their feet. Sabillo lived up to his ring moniker ?Tiger? and got the unanimous nod.
I remember mumbling to myself, ?Someone should teach this guy how to duck.?
Sabillo was entertaining, gutsy but defensively deficient. But he was still undefeated. My initial assessment was that he can fill the seats, as long as his chin holds up.
His all action style got him a contract to fight under ALA Promotions in 2011. He won the vacant OPBF 105 lb division title against Rodel Tejares on the same fight card that his province-mate, Donnie Nietes, won his second world title against Ramon Garcia Hirales. Sabillo defended his Oriental crown last year against Jonathan Refugio. Prior to facing Luis de la Rosa, Sabillo only had one foreign opponent on his resume ? Soffyan Effendi of Indonesia.
Sabillo was still in the category of unbeaten but untested. He spent most of his career fighting in Bacolod and twice in Cebu.
De la Rosa on the other hand lost a split decision in his first attempt at the interim minimumweight title to Raul Garcia, who would reign briefly as the regular WBO world champion in 2011.
De la Rosa had a slight edge in big fight experience and the home town fans on his side. Sabillo brought nothing but guts. Boxing pundits here in Cebu wondered if he was truly ready. But Sabillo passed with flying colors.
These are the moments when a boxer shows what he is truly made of.
Sabillo?s cornermen were Edito Villamor and the recently retired Michael Domingo. This is a moment of redemption for Villamor, who has been vilified every time an ALA Gym boxer does not meet the expectations of fans. A world title shot eluded Domingo as a contender and his last fight was only five months ago. He has shown promise and attained early success as a trainer.
I?m sure the critical fans will spew acidic comments at them when another ALA Gym boxer gives a sub-par performance. But I?m also sure they are savoring this moment. They have their faults but I have to remind myself every fight card that I only write about them, I don?t fight them.
As Theodore Roosevelt pointed out ?It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming,?
Sabillo will also relish this moment. His eighth round TKO win was also well applauded by Colombian fans. He is an interim WBO champion but things could get interesting depending on the decision of the regular champion Moises Fuentes.
The 29 year old Sabillo (21W-0L, 11 KO?s) is one of the ten boxers that will be honored during the 31st Cebu Sports Awards this March 17. His citation will be for his Oriental and Pacific title. But his major road victory will surely win him more attention and applause during the ceremony
(Photo-Merlito Sabillo)
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