Kidapawan’s Diosdado “Prince” Gabi is now about “90 percent” ready as he prepares for the most crucial few weeks prior to his titular challenge of World Boxing Council flyweight king Pongsaklek Wongjongkam on October 8 in Phuket, Thailand. This was revealed last week by Buboy Fernandez, personal trainer of featherweight king Manny Pacquiao, who has been handling Gabi’s training in the last four weeks at the L&M Gym in Manila. “He’s in very good shape. He has no problems in his sparring sessions. Gabi is 90 percent in his conditioning now,” said Fernandez in an interview with this writer. The southpaw Gabi (21-2-1, 16 KO’s), ranked WBC no. 8, figures in the most important fight of his career against Wongjongkam (52-2, 29 KO’s), who enjoys cult following in Thailand and holder of the quickest knockout defense in flyweight history when he stopped Japanese Daisuke Naito in just 34 seconds of their April, 2002 bout. Wongjongkam, who will be making the 11th defense of his WBC crown against Gabi, is also known as the Thai fighter who stopped Filipino Malcolm Tu?acao in just a single round in 2001, taking away the latter’s WBC flyweight crown. “But we are not worried. Gabi has been training great,” Fernandez said, adding that the Kidapawan fighter, who also holds the WBC International flyweight belt, has been sparring against the likes of RP bantam champ Joel Bauya, hard-hitting Franklin Macalibo, and amateur standout Glenn Gonzales. The Wongjongkam-Gabi showdown will be presented by host Thailand when the World Boxing Council unfolds its 42nd annual world convention in Phuket, Thailand from October 3 to 9 this year.
