Gabi rips Mangubat for WBC int’l crown

Kidapawan City — Southpaw Prince Gabi dethroned Randy Mangubat as the World Boxing Council International flyweight ruler, prevailing via a technical decision win in the 12th round in the mainer of the "Engkwentro" card at the North Cotabato provincial gym here Sunday night.

The 24-year-old Gabi rallied from a sixth-round knockdown to pile up points and wrested the crown when he suffered a cut from an accidental headbutt on the right forehead. Referee Bruce McTavish waved the fight off after Gabi was found unfit to continue by Dr. Naseer Cruz. He was leading on all three cards, 116-110, 116-111 and 114-112.

It was a virtual chess match early in the fight, as both Mangubat and Gabi appeared tentative to take the initiative. The stocky Mangubat applied the pressure but was continuously puzzled by Gabi’s lateral skills and sytle.

Mangubat scored the lone knockdown in the sixth frame, as he unleashed a hard to Gabi’s head.

By the 10th, Mangubat began to fade due to a stream of body shots from the challenger who had since dictated the tempo of the bout.

"Mangubat is a very strong warrior. But I came out the better fighter tonight. This is a dream come true," said Gabi.

The win improved Gabi’s mark to 24-2-1, with 19 KO’s while Mangubat went 31-19-11, (14 KO’s) from the loss.

In the supporting bout, RP junior lightweight champ Bobby Pacquiao was stretched to the limit before earning a hard-fought split decision over Bukidnon’s Jaime Barcelona.

Pacquiao scored a knockdown in the fifth, but Barcelona drew a point deduction for a low blow on Pacquiao.

Barcelona then sent Pacquiao to the canvass with a brutal right to the jaw in the ninth round and a spent Pacquiao barely survived the onslaught to earn a 95-92, 94-93, 92-95 win.