John Paul Gabunilas. | ARQ Sports activities picture
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebuano boxing prospect John Paul “Destroyer” Gabunilas is gearing up for a high-stakes showdown in Japan this Sunday, August 4, 2024.
The 23-year-old Gabunilas, from the ARQ Boxing Steady, has touched down in Osaka, accompanied by his coach Eldo Cortes, to arrange for an important bounce-back battle.
Gabunilas will tackle seasoned Thai fighter Thanongsak Simsri in a 12-round conflict for the latter’s Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) gentle flyweight title.
This bout, headlining the Inexperienced Tsuda Promotions occasion, will showcase Gabunilas as the primary occasion amidst a lineup of six different thrilling matchups that includes Japanese and Thai contenders.
The Cebuano’s final look within the ring was in December 2023, the place he gave a spirited efficiency towards the late Kanamu Sakama.
Regardless of his valiant effort, the battle led to Sakama’s favor by way of a fifth-round technical knockout. That bout was a part of the marquee Naoya Inoue-Marlon Tapales world title unification occasion at Tokyo’s Ariake Enviornment.
With a report of 10 wins (7 by knockout) and three losses, Gabunilas will probably be getting into uncharted territory towards Simsri, a formidable opponent with a report of 34 wins (31 by knockout) and simply 1 loss.
Simsri’s sole defeat got here towards Japanese fighter Masamichi Yabuki, who secured a third-round technical knockout victory.
Notably, Simsri has beforehand defeated Filipino boxers equivalent to Miel Fajardo—Gabunilas’s tormentor, Christian Bacolod, and Ricardo Sueno.
As Gabunilas prepares for this pivotal battle, he faces a major problem towards a well-rounded and harmful opponent. The result of this bout may very well be a defining second in his profession, contemplating ARQ Boxing Steady pugs haven’t gained a single bout in Japan prior to now 9 months.
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