MANILA – Negrense boxers Merlito Sabillo and Jay-R Raquinel will battle for separate World Boxing Council regional championships in China later this month.
Sabillo, a native of Toboso, Negros Occidental, is eyeing the vacant WBC silver light flyweight title against Jing Xiang of China on Sept. 15 in Qinzhou.
On the other hand, Raquinel, a native of Cauayan town, is vying for the WBC silver flyweight title against Wulan Tuolehazi, also of China, on Sept. 28 in Changsha.
Sabillo hopes to get back on the winning track after being dethroned as Asian Boxing Federation light flyweight champion with a split-decision loss to Edward Heno in February.
Xiang, meanwhile, was successful in his last six fights. These included unanimous-decision victories over Filipino opponents Rollen del Castillo, Joy Joy Formentera and Joel Taduran.
“Determinado talaga tayong makabawi doon sa talo na iyon,” said Sabillo, a former World Boxing Organization World minimumweight titlist.
“Maganda ang naging training ko for this fight pero siyempre aware din ako na nasa winning streak [ang kalaban],” he added.
Sabillo, one of the standouts from the Highland Hayashi boxing stable, will parade a 27-5-1 win-loss-draw with 13 stoppage wins while Jing has a 14-4-2 card, including three knockouts.
Meanwhile, Raquinel – the reigning Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation flyweight titlist (8-3-1 with four KOs) – is on a winning streak.
He has made back-to-back knockout triumphs in Japan against Japanese fighters Shun Kosaka and Keisuke Nakayama./PN
