FILIPINA BOXER MAKES IMPACT IN CHINA
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 24 Dec 2006
Outstanding amateur female boxer Gretchen Abaniel made a big impact with a four round majority decision over hometown favorite Li Hai Li in a fight card at the Expo Garden Hotel in Kunming, Yunnan, China on Saturday night.
Two of the judges had Abaniel winning handily but one judge reportedly scored it a draw. Abaniel is managed and trained by a former talented Australian boxer Terrance Mogg who lives in the Philippines.
Abaniel who fought as an amateur for three years won a bronze medal at the World Championships in Russia last year while it was Li’s third pro fight. She scored a majority decision over Liu Li last August 15 and was held to a draw by Liu Dan last November 25.
The 21 year old Filipina from Puerto Princessa dominated every round in the four round clash and displayed amazing punching power never seen for a minimum weight in China. Because of her outstanding performance Abaniel was a favorite among fight fans prompting the promoters to invite Abaniel to return for another bout early next year.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Smarts over power
By Joaquin Henson, Tue, 16 Sep 2025HALL OF FAME FLIES FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF FOR TWO-DIVISION CHAMPION RICKY HATTON
Tue, 16 Sep 2025Kazakhstan tops the medal table at the inaugural World Boxing Championships 2025 thanks to victory in the final bout of the competition
Tue, 16 Sep 2025THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 13: JOE FRAZIER’S HUMBLE BEGINNINGS AS AN AMATEUR FIGHTER
By Maloney L. Samaco, Mon, 15 Sep 2025A New King, A New Challenger: Turki Alalshikh Proposes Crawford-Benavidez While Canelo Alvarez Faces Defeat with Humility
By Dong Secuya, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Highly Questionable Title Eliminator
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Yoseline Perez Earns Silver Medal at Inaugural World Boxing Championships
Mon, 15 Sep 202521-year-old Filipino wins at Germany rapid chess tournament
By Marlon Bernardino, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Nagoya Nightmare: Naoya Inoue Notches One-Sided Decision over Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Mon, 15 Sep 2025Inoue’s Philippine Connection: Which Pinoy Super Bantamweight Could Challenge “The Monster?”
By Carlos Costa, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Yoseline Perez Advances to the Finals at the World Boxing Championships Perez Set to Face Chinese Taipei’s Hsiao-Wen Huang for 54-Kilogram World Title
Mon, 15 Sep 2025Canelo Gets Outboxed, Loses Undisputed Title to Crawford
By Carlos Costa, Sun, 14 Sep 2025A Masterpiece of Boxing: Terence Crawford Dethrones Canelo Alvarez in Historic Showdown
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025LEWIS CROCKER IS CROWNED THE NEW IBF WORLD WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION
Sun, 14 Sep 2025Battle of Undefeated: Callum Walsh Vanquishes Fernando Vargas Jr.
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 14 Sep 2025