Reymart Gaballo vs Phai Pharob Preview February 13th, 2024
The WBO Oriental Bantamweight title is on the line over in the Philippines this Tuesday, February 13th as hometown favourite and current champion Reymart Gaballo takes on Phai Pharob of Bangkok, Thailand in the 10-rounder. Gaballo last boxed in June when he edged Michael Bravo via a 10-round split decision while Pharob last stepped in the ring in November when he stopped Akkhaphon Ngamkaeo in just 168 seconds. Tuesday’s fight will be broadcast live in the Philippines on One Sports, Cignal TV and Pilipinas Live.
Gaballo vs Pharob Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Phai Pharob +350
- Reymart Gaballo -500
My Pick
The 27-year-old Gaballo climbs into the ring with a fine record of 26-1 with 20 big Ko’s. He obviously carries a lot of power in his punches as 80.8 per cent of his wins have come by way of stoppage but he’s recorded just one in his last four fights. Gaballo has 89 rounds of experience under his belt since turning pro in 2014. He’s nicknamed ‘Assassin’ and enjoyed a pretty good amateur career as he won a bronze medal as a flyweight in the junior division at the PLDT-ABAP National Boxing Championships in 2013.
Gaballo stands 5-feet-6-inches tall with a 68-inch reach and has fought mainly against domestic opponents in the Philippines. He’s probably best known for his shot at the WBC Bantamweight Title in December 2021 when he fought fellow countryman and future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire and was stopped in the fourth round. Gaballo’s biggest victory was capturing the Interim WBC Bantamweight Crown a year earlier when he edged Emmanuel Rodriguez by a 12-round split decision.
Most of Gaballo’s other opponents are unrecognizable to the average boxing fan other than perhaps Rocky Alvarez, Bryan Sansom, Ernesto Guerrero and Yeison Vargas. He also beat Stephon Young by 12-round unanimous decision in 2018 for the interim WBA Bantamweight Title and once held the WBC Asian Boxing Council Super Bantamweight Title. He added the vacant WBC Asian Continental and WBO Oriental Bantamweight Titles in October, 2022 by stopping Ricardo Sueno in the second stanza.
As for Pharob, he’s a 40-year-old veteran southpaw who makes the ring walk with a mark of 35-3 with 27 Ko’s and has fought 177 rounds since making his pro debut back in 2002. He also has better-than-average power as 77.1 per cent of his victories have come by stoppage including seven of his last eight. However, he’s 3-3 in his last six fights and has been stopped in two of them. His first defeat came at the hands of Jesse Espinas in 2016 when he lost the WBO Oriental Light Flyweight Title when he was stopped in the eighth round.
His next loss was to Wira Mikham by eight-round unanimous decision last August and two months after that he was halted in the fourth round by Ryuto Owan. As a pro, Pharob has won the Pan Asian Boxing Association, WBO Asian Pacific and Oriental Light Flyweight Titles as well as the WBC Asian Continental and Pasn Asian Flyweight Belts and the Pan Asian Boxing Association and WBA Interim World Minimumweight Titles. He stands gust over 5-feet-3-inches tall with an unlisted reach which means he gives up 2.5-inches in height to Gaballo.
Prediction…
Gaballo has plenty of power and more experience on the world stage while Pharob has more overall experience but mainly against a lower level of opponents. He’s enjoyed a successful career but it seems to be coming to an end now at the age of 40 as he’s lost two of his last three fights and three of his past six and has been stopped in two of them. It should also be noted that Pharob walked away from the sport in 2016 following his loss to Jesse Espinas and didn’t return to the ring until last year when he fought five times and went 3-2. Gaballo, who is now trained by Nonito Donaire Sr., is 13 years younger than Pharob with more power and I don’t really see him losing this fight unless he gets nailed with a perfect shot. He should then be in line for a shot at WBO Bantamweight Champion Jason Moloney.
Pharob’s age and previous layoff will do him no favours.
Play: Gaballo -500 @ BetOnline.ag
Check out my recent boxing betting picks to see my current form.
Phai Pharob betting • Reymart Gaballo betting