GABALLO TO FIGHT FOR INTERIM WBA WORLD BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE ON MARCH 23 IN HOLLYWOOD

Reymart Gaballo (left) and Mike Plania

By LITO DELOS REYES

DAVAO CITY (MARCH 14) — Undefeated Reymart “Gensan Assassin” Gaballo of the Philippines will now be fighting for the interim World Boxing Association (WBA) World bantamweight title on March 23 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, USA.

Gaballo (18 wins with 16 knockouts) is facing the dangerous American Stephon “Showstopper” Young in the main event of the “Rumble at the Rock” boxing card of promoter Kris Lawrence of The Heavyweight Factory.

Young, 29, is also still unbeaten with 17 wins, seven by knockouts and three draws. He won the vacant WBA-NABA bantamweight title by a majority decision against Juan Antonio Lopez in 2016.

Gaballo is making his third fight in abroad after making his impressive debut by stopping Mexican Ernesto Guerrero via a second round technical knockout win last November 15 at the Hawaii Events Center in Honolulu.

The 21-year old native of General Santos City then went to Mexico to pummel to submission another Mexican Ulises Rivero by a 6th round TKO at the Domo Deportivo, Tulum.

Gaballo’s stablemate “Magic” Mike Planilla, also undefeated fighter from the Sanman Boxing Stable in General Santos City is also seeing action in the undercard.

Plania (15W-0L,7 KOs) will be fighting former WBA-IBO bantamweight world champion Juan Carlos Payano (19W-1L) of Dominican Republic for 10 rounds.

Payano lost both his IBO world bantamweight and WBA super world bantamweight titles to Rau’shee Warren by a majority decision during their rematch in 2016 in Chicago.

“Plania is facing his toughest test in his career against former world champion Payano,” said Sanman Chief Executive Officer Jim Claude “JC” Manangquil.

Plania previously won by a decision against Mexican Roel Lazaro Perez last December in Quintana Roo, Mexico.