SABILLO TRAINS AGAIN WITH FIRST BOXING COACH

TEXT and PHOTOS by LITO DELOS REYES

BACOLOD CITY — Former world champion Merlito ‘Tiger’ Sabillo (27W-4L-1D, 13 KOs) is now back training with his first boxing coach at his hometown in Bacolod City in preparation for his championship fight against the undefeated OPBF light flyweight champion Edward Heno (11W-0L-5D, 5 KOs) on Feb. 17 at the Gaisano Mall in Bacolod.
“Siya talaga yun unang coach ko sa boxing kaya bumalik ako sa kanya dito,” (He was really my first coach in boxing that’s why I went back to him) said Sabillo, who is now training with 63-year old Sonny Villagonzalo, a retired boxing coach of the provincial government of Negros Occidental.
Villagonzalo is assisted by Dandy Visitacion with strength and conditioning coach Cleo Tajanglangit.
The 34-year old Sabillo started late already in boxing at the age of 19 years old. But Villagonzalo was able to develop him into an undefeated fighter in the amateur ranks.
Sabillo also became a champion in the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) under Villagonzalo before he joined the ALA Boxing Stable in Cebu City.
Sabillo beat Rodel Tejares by a unanimous decision on October 8, 2011 at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod to capture the vacant OPBF minimumweight title.
He retained the OPBF minimumweight title via a 7th round technical knockout against Jonathan Refugio in 2012 also in Bacolod.
Sabillo then joined the ALA Boxing Stable and won the interim WBO world minimumweight title via an 8th round TKO win over Luis dela Rosa on March 9, 2013 at the Coliseo Mario de Leon in Cerete, Colombia.
Sabillo became the WBO World minimumweight champion by knocking out Mexican Jorle Estrada in the 9th round on July 13, 2013 at the Solaire Resort Hotel and Casino in Pasay City.
He retained the crown only by a split decision against the unbeaten Carlos Buitrago (27-0) on the same year at the Araneta Coliseum. In his next title defense, Sabillo, however, was dethroned by Mexican Francisco Rodriguez Jr. by a 10th round TKO in 2014 at the Arena Monterrey in Mexico.
Sabillo also lost by a shocking 4th round TKO to Indonesian Ellias Nggenggo last Nov. 15, 2014 in Cebu. After the two successive setbacks, Sabillo left ALA Stable and went back to his hometown in Bacolod.
He was already planning to hang up his gloves. But he changed his mind and successfully made a comeback on the ring by scoring a unanimous decision against Powell Balaba on June 12, 2015 at the L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod.
“Tinulungan po ako ni Sir Brico Santig na makabalik at sinuportahan din ni Sir Monju Guanzon,” (Sir Brico Santig helped me to make a comeback with the support of Sir Monju Guanzon) said Sabillo.
Guanzon is the former Games and Amusements Board (GAB) Chairman and OPBF president.
Sabillo followed it up with another unanimous decision victory against Indonesian Jack Amisa on November 29 at the La Trinidad Municipal Gym in La Trinidad, Benguet.
But Sabillo, who was already training at the MP Highland Boxing Gym in Manila, again suffered two successive losses, both in international fights.
He dropped a split decision to Japanese Riku Kano for the interim OPBF minimumweight title last May 8, 2016 at the Bunka Center in Sanda, Japan. He also lost by a unanimous decision to Japanese Ryuya Yamanaka for the vacant OPBF minimumweight title on November 11, 2016 at the Central Gym in Kobe.
Sabillo reunited with Villagonzalo last year and started training already in Bacolod at the Seamless Curve Fitness Gym and 6100 Boxing Gym. They also go to the Panaad Sports Center to train and jog at the track oval.
In their first team-up, Sabillo knocked out Amisa in the 3rd round in their rematch held May 27 at the 888 Chinatown Square Mall in Bacolod.
“Yung unang laban namin nanalo lang ako ng unanimous decision. Mas maganda na ngayon ang kondisyun at mga suntok ko,” (I only won by a unanimous decision during our first fight. Now I have a better condition and punches.) said Sabillo.
In his next fight, Sabillo won by a convincing unanimous decision against Crison Omayao (22W-14L-1D) to capture the vacant Asian Boxing Federation (ABF) light flyweight title on October 20 at the Barangay Granada Covered Court in Bacolod.
Sabillo will also be staking his ABF title against Heno in their 12-round championship on Feb. 17 at the Gaisano Mall Bacolod.

About Author