Sabillo vows to keep title

IT WOULD be out of character for Merlito Sabillo to make knockout predictions.

Rather than respond to Jorle Estrada’s boast of a seventh-round stoppage in their fight tomorrow night, Sabillo yesterday said he would rather let his fists do the talking in the ring.

According to Sabillo, he will go for the knockout only when the opportunity arises.

“I’ll feel it when I’m already perspiring,” Sabillo said in Filipino during the press conference of Pinoy Pride XXI at the Grand Ballroom of Solaire Resort Hotel and Casino.

The 29-year-old Sabillo, a former street fighter in Bacolod City, made it clear, though, that he’s ready to frustrate Estrada’s bid to take the World Boxing Organization minimumweight crown back to Colombia.

Sabillo knocked out Luis De la Rosa in Colombia in the eighth round to  win the 105-pound interim title on March 9. The unbeaten Sabillo (21-0 with 11 KOs) subsequently became champion when Moises Fuentes gave up his crown to campaign in the 108 lb division.

Despite a 16-6 record with five KOs, the 24-year-old Estrada vows to avenge his compatriot’s loss in the mainer of the fight card staged by ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN Sports.

In the chief support, King Arthur Villanueva (21-0 with 11 KOs) battles power puncher Arturo Badillo (20-1 18 KOs) of Mexico for the WBP Asia Pacific superflyweight title.

AJ “Bazooka” Banal (28-2-1 20 KOs) tries to resuscitate his career when fights Mexican Abraham Gomez (18-7-1 9 KOs) in a 124 lb clash.