CEBU, Philippines - Considered as one of the future stars of ALA Gym, Melvin ‘Top Gun’ Gumban is confident that he will have a breakout year this year as he aims for his goal of becoming a regional champion.
With this, Gumban (18-0, 9KOs) must hurdle one final test as he faces Weljan Ugbaniel (13-2, 4KOs) for the vacant Philippine super flyweight championship that will be his key in being a regional title contender in the main event of ALA Promotions' annual Sinulog Boxing Festival this Sunday night at the Gaisano Countrymall carpark.
“Albert (Pagara) and Arthur (Villanueva) both have regional belts and I also want to have mine so that is why you can expect a great performance for me,” said Gumban in a press conference yesterday at Sugbahan restaurant along A.S. Fortuna Street. in Mandaue City.
“Aside from having my first boxing championship, I believe that winning the Philippine title will give me bigger fights like headlining a Pinoy Pride card in the future,” added the Escalante City, Negros Occidental fighter.
The 24-year-old Gumban is coming off a splendid first round knockout of Roger Echavez on October 18 last year at the Negros Occidental Multi-Purpose Activity Center in Bacolod City.
Before that, Gumban already posted a string of victories over veteran fighters in in the likes of Louie Bantigue, Nelson Llanos, Philip Parcon and former WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight champion Jason Egera.
But Ugbaniel is also confident on his chances as he guns for an upset over the undefeated ALA warrior.
“I know this is important for him (Gumban), but I also want to win the title badly because I promised my family back home (in Sarangani Province) to bring it to them,” said Ugbaniel.
In the equally-exciting supporting bout, Elmo 'Bisdak' Traya (6-1, 5KOs) will slug it out with Giovani Rota (7-4, 7KOs) of Butuan City in an eight-round lightweight bout.
The rest of the card features Vicente Casido versus Bryan Saamson; Melvin Jerusalem versus Rez Padrogane; Gerald Suico versus Junrex Saldivia; Michael Estrella versus Jonne Burlado; Junder Gregorio versus Jesson Horteza; and Joepher Montano versus Junie Villacrusis.— Lemuel P. Maglinte (FREEMAN)