ABANIEL VOWS TO WIN REMATCH WITH CAI

Gretchen Abaniel (right) with Australian national women’s boxing team member Skye Nicolson at the Bondi Boxing Gym in Sydney, Australia.

Gretchen Abaniel spars with Hayden Harbutt.

FILIPINA challenger Gretchen Abaniel vowed to win her rematch with the reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) World Female minimumweight champion Zong Ju Cai on October 28 at the Macau East Asian Games Dome in Macao.
“I will do everything in order to win. By God’s grace I can do all things thru Christ,” said Abaniel in a chat message on Facebook.
Abaniel has been training under trainer Tony del Vecchio at the Bondi Boxing Club in Sydney, Australia. Among her sparring partners were Hayden Harbutt and Australian national team member Skye Nicolson.
Abaniel lost to Cai by a unanimous decision in their first encounter for the vacant WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental and WBC International Female minimumweight titles held February 22, 2015 in Wenshan.
“Cai is a smart fighter (but) she is not dangerous because she is not that really powerful before,” said Abaniel.
“But I don’t know already maybe she is now powerful. That’s why we will just have to outwit against each other on the ring,” Abaniel added.
“I’ll focus on our fight plan. And I know she has the hometown but I will not be destructed by her crowd because I’m getting used to fighting the opponent’s hometown,” said Abaniel.
Abaniel is arriving in Manila on Oct. 25 but her Aussie manager Robert Hill an some friends had already arrived early to join her flight to Chna on Oct. 26 at 7 p.m.
Abaniel is the first challenger of Cai, who previously dethroned Japanese Etsuko Tada last January 30 at the Cotai Arena, Venetian Resort in Macao.
The 26-year old Cai (9W-1L-0D, 1 KO) also captured the vacant IBF Inter-Continental female minimumweight title by a unanimous decision against Siriporn Thaveesuek last year in Beijing.
Abaniel (18W-8L-0D, 6 KOs) is fresh from a unanimous decision win against Chamaporn Chairin held September 30 at The Flash Grand Ballroom of the Elorde Sports Complex in Paranaque City.
The 31-year old Abaniel, a native of Puerto Princesa City, also beat Saowaluk Nareepangsri by a UD last year at Punchbowl, Australia to capture both the Global Boxing Union Female World and vacant Women’s International Boxing Association world minimumweight titles.