FORMER world champion Reymart Gaballo scored an otherwise easy second round technical knockout win over Ricardo Sueno to snatch the World Boxing Council (WBC) Asian Council Continental bantamweight belt.
Inspired by a big crowd at the Lagao Gym in General Santos City Saturday, the 26-year-old Gaballo was an elite of a fighter as he outclassed Sueno with accurate combinations.
Sueno, 28, adjusted aggressively but couldn’t take Gaballo’s power when he was hit by a solid left hook to the body that put him down to the canvas for the third time.
Gaballo unleashed a right straight to knock Sueno down a fourth time.
Referee Almar Odiong waved off the fight to avoid further damage to Sueno in the closing seconds of the second round.
Gaballo, 26, a former WBC bantamweight interim champion, fought for the first time since losing to former WBC bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. last December 11 via fourth round technical knockout in Carson City, California.
He improved his win-loss record to 25-1 with 21 knockouts while Sueno suffered his seventh loss in 22 bouts for an 11-7-4 win-loss-draw record.
Gaballo, who fights under the promotions of JC Mananquil’s Sanman Promotions, expressed his desire for another shot at a world title next year.
Gaballo became a world titleholder last December 2020 when he survived a controversial split decision win over Puerto Rican Emmanuel Rodriguez in Connecticut, USA.
But a year after, he didn’t survive Donaire’s power during their world title bout when he was hit in the body with a powerful punch.