FILIPINO GABUTAN VS SOUTH AFRICA'S VISU MALINGA IN IBF WORLD TITLE ELIMINATOR THIS SATURDAY IN SOUTH AFRICA
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 19 Mar 2013
Following an excellent weekend for Casimero and Apolinario in Panama, Filipino fighters want more success. The turn is now for Dayer Gabutan and Eduard Penerio in South Africa. Dayer Gabutan of Ilocos Sur and Eduard "Big Heart" Penerio (15-1, 10 KO's) of Maguindanao are already in South Africa ahead of their important battles this Saturday night (March 23) at Carnival City Casino in Johannesburg, the two Pinoys trying score important international wins.
GABUTAN FIGHTS MALINGA IN IBF ELIMINATOR
Dayer Gabutan (18-1-2, 9 KO's) will face veteran South African Vusi Malinga (20-4-1, 12 KO's) in a 12-rounder IBF world title eliminator, the winner having the golden chance to dispute the vacant IBF bantamweight world title.
In his last outing, the 24-year-old Gabutan - handled by the WBC Asia-Pacific promoter of the year Brico Santig - pummeled and knocked out Indonesian Lande Olin in two rounds in October in La Trinidad, Benguet, making the successful sixth defense of his bantamweight oriental title.
The Ilocos Sur fighter, currently rated No. 8 by IBF and No. 1 by WBO, is in South Africa being assisted by cornerman/promoter Brico Santig (head of Highland Boxing of Baguio) and the valuable help of experienced 39-year-old Leyte?o head coach Joven Jorda, a former Filipino bantamweight fighter who used to work as a trainer in Japan.
Meanwhile, the South African opponent "Marvelous" Malinga, IBF #8, comes to his rumble with the Filipino after being outboxed and outclassed over 12 rounds by undefeated Mexican former champion Leo Santa Cruz (23-0-1, 13 KO's) in June of last year in Carson, California.
Prior to that defeat to Santa Cruz, Malinga had defeated veteran ALA fighter Michael Domingo back in October 2010.
For years, Malinga has been South African, African and International champion, but the 33-year-old veteran wants more.
However, the Filipino Gabutan has been more active and is 9 years younger than the tough bald-headed South African. But Malinga will be fighting in his own back yard. That, no doubt, is always an advantage.
Both, the Gabutan and Malinga, are southpaws.
The official IBF weigh-in ceremony will be on Friday (March 22).
The winner will go for greater IBF battles and an improvement an in the world rankings. The loser gets back to the drawing board.
EDUARD PENERIO VS ZOLANI TETE IN A NON-TITLE BATTLE
In another interesting clash, Filipino boxer Eduard "Big Heart" Penerio (15-1, 10 KO's) of Cotabato City, Maguindanao, will have the seemingly tough mission of fighting South African Zolani Tete (16-3, 14 KO's) in an 8-rounder non-title super flyweight battle. Both fighters are 24 year-old.
Penerio might not have been in the radar of Filipino boxing fans as his last outing was a quick knockout one win one year ago in a small card at the Hoops Dome, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, a fight graced by Philboxing creator Dong Secuya and Editor Dr. Rene Bonsubre. It was one of the quickest fights ever seen in Cebu. The whole fight lasted only 29 seconds
Prior to that victory, Penerio had scored another round one win in Tianjin, China way back in 2011. Time: 1:25 seconds of round 1. This means that in more than two years Penerio has only fought less than 2 minutes. It could be costly for the Filipino puncher. Hopefully not.
Eduard Penerio is accompanied in South Africa, aside by promoter Brico Santig, by well-known veteran coach Jun Agrabio.
Rival Zolani Tete comes from a razor thin split decision loss to Roberto Domingo Sosa last September in Cordoba, Argentina. Prior to that he scored a round 1 win over unheralded fellow country man Siphiwo Ntsangani in March of last year in Eastern Cape, South Africa.
While in South Africa, the Filipinos are staying at the Holiday Inn Hotel Johannesburg, accompanied and guided by the very popular Brico Santig, who days ago in Thailand captured the coveted WBC Asia-Pacific Promoter of the Year Award.
THE MAIN EVENT: MATHEBULA VS NDLOVU
The card's main event in Johannesburg will be much awaited rematch in South Africa, the exciting third clash between two South African former world champions: Jeffrey Mathebua (26-4-2, 14 KO's VS "The South African Panther" Takalani Ndlovu (33-8, 18 KO's). The two proud veterans will clash for supremacy and honor for over 12 rounds.
In the first match "The Mongoose" Mathebula won a split decision. In the second rumble Ndlovu won the split decision. Things have to be settled in the ring as both fighters are still two of the most popular boxers of South Africa.
The promoter for this boxing card in Johannesburg, South African, is the veteran South African man of boxing Branco Milenkovic of Branco Sports Productions.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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