Young Sorsogon boxer determined to make it big

BAGUIO CITY—Jhunmil Guban’s market value will certainly rise a notch higher after winning the biggest fight of his young career.

A common fixture during town fiestas in his hometown Bulan, Sorsogon, the 16-year-old outpointed heavily-favored Jovanie Boyones of Biñan, Laguna, during the Luzon finals of the PSC-Pacquiao Amateur Boxing Cup on Monday at Malcolm Park here.

“I know that he’s (Boyones) a very good boxer, so I just decided to be more aggressive,” said Guban in Filipino, who started boxing at age 10 and has become a regular in the stable of Felix Gaspi, owner of the Sorsogon-based Gaspi Boxing Team.

By claiming the junior boys’ light flyweight (48 kg) title in Luzon, Guban will advance to the preliminaries of the national championship tentatively scheduled in two weeks in Mandaluyong City.

If Guban survives the challenge against the toughest fighters in his category from the Visayas and Mindanao, he can go all the way to the national finals next month in Saranggani province.

Gaspi said Guban is highly motivated to capture the gold medal in his division, a start of something better that can help lift his family out of poverty.
The youngest among four siblings and a big Manny Pacquiao fan, Guban’s parents are jobless.

“Since he started boxing, he only lost his first three bouts and won the next 12 fights,” said Gaspi.

In the other bouts organized by the Philippine Sports Commission with the backing of Baguio City led by its mayor, Mauricio Domogan, Darwin Boyones of Biñan defeated Eddie Mapusao of Camarines Sur via split decision to advance to the finals of the youth boys’ light flyweight (46-49 kg).

Jezzalyn Augusto of Camarines Sur also made it to the championship round of the junior girls’ light flyweight (48 kg) with a unanimous decision win over Angela Acebuche of Mandaluyong City.