World Boxing Council No. 8 flyweight Diosdado “Prince” Gabi won a lop-sided unanimous decision Sunday evening over Thai Sairung Pathavikorn-Gym in their 10-round duel in Antipas, North Cotabato topbilling the “Vendetta” card Gabi pressed the attack all night, unleashing wicked body shots on the Thai before prevailing on a 99-91, 100-90, 99-91 win to the delight of a packed crowd led by mayor Cris Cadungon at the town’s municipal gym. The win improved the southpaw Gabi’s record to 23-2-1, 17 KO’s and gives him a chance to move higher in the WBC rungs and earn a slot in the World Boxing Organization rankings. WBO Vice-President for Asia Pacific Leon Panoncillo, in an interview, informed that he will recommend Gabi for a top 10 slot in the organization and a possible bout with WBO flyweight champ Omar Narvaez of Argentina. “I will recommend him to the WBO ratings committee. He should be fighting for the WBO title down the line,” Panoncillo said yesterday. Meanwhile, Gabi’s manager Socrates Piñol expressed satisfaction over his ward’s performance, but also credited the Thai’s durability and experience in surviving what could have been a knockout defeat at the hands of Gabi. “The Thai was also tough and very dangerous. There was a power blackout in the middle of the fight, and that gave the Thai time to recuperate. Gabi could have knocked him out,” Pinol stated, while also announcing that Gabi’s wife had given birth to a healthy baby boy the morning after the fight. North Cotabato Governor Emmanuel Piñol, in a separate interview, also stated that Gabi’s next outing would most likely be in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Gairy St. Claire duel on December 4 in Taguig.
