[ad_1]
REYMART GRANDE GABALLO defeated Puerto Rican Emmanuel Rodríguez by split decision to become the World Boxing Council (WBC) interim bantamweight champion on Sunday at the Mohegan Sun Casino Uncasville in Connecticut.
Gaballo, 24 from the city of General Santos, neutralized former world counterpunch champion Rodríguez for nearly 12 rounds to claim victory. Judge John McKaie scored 115-113 and Don Trella saw it 116-112 for Gaballo, while David Sutherland gave Rodriguez the fight, 118-110.
“I knew he was going to fight back, so I pushed him a lot, I even absorbed his blows too,” Gaballo told BusinessMirror, referring to the 28-year-old Rodriguez’s “touch and run” tactic. “The fight was close. He backtracked too much and relied mostly on his punches, but I hurt him. “
The Filipino landed strong punches in the final round, but Rodriguez threw excellent punches in the tenth, eleventh and twelfth rounds. Although Gaballo appeared to be outgunned, Rodriguez couldn’t find the right moment.
Gaballo was undefeated in 24 fights with 20 knockouts. He was a substitute opponent for Rodriguez (19-2 record with 12 knockouts) after fellow Filipino and former world champion Nonito Donaire Jr. was eliminated following a failed Covid-19 test earlier this month.
International analysts saw the fight over Rodriguez, but MP Promotion president Sean Gibbons said he was convinced that Gaballo controlled the fight.
Reymart ran that fight all night. He put pressure on Rodriguez, who ran as if he had stolen something from Reymart, ”Gibbons said. “They [judges] he saw Reymart as the aggressor and was more effective. He worked harder than Rodríguez in each round. “
Gaballo was in hiding in Miami for the past 10 months due to the pandemic, but he remained in top form with Spanish Cuban coach Moro Fernández and his assistant Franco Chocano.
Gaballo joined the list of Philippine world champions led by Senator Manny Pacquiao (welterweight of the World Boxing Association), Jerwin Ancajas (International Boxing Federation). [IBF] super flyweight), Pedro Taduran (IBF minimum weight) and Johnriel Casimero (World Boxing Organization bantamweight).
