Gretchen Magbanua Abaniel (born November 4, 1985) is a Filipino

professional boxer Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regulatory autho ...

. She held the WIBA mini-flyweight title from 2009 to 2011 and the

WIBF The Women's International Boxing Federation (WIBF) is one of the more recognized world championship fight sanctioning organizations in women's boxing. Founded in March 1989, it is based in Miami, Florida, and presided over by Barbara Buttrick. The ...

mini-flyweight title from 2015 to 2016. She has also challenged for multiple major world titles across three

weight classes Weight classes are divisions of competition used to match competitors against others of their own size. Weight classes are used in a variety of sports, especially combat sports (such as boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts and wrestling). Altern ...

; the WBA,

IBF The International Boxing Federation (IBF) is one of four major organizations recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) which sanctions professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Counci ...

and WBO female mini-flyweight titles between 2008 and 2017; the WBA female

atomweight Atomweight (also referred to as light minimumweight, junior strawweight, junior mini-flyweight and pinweight) is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing In women's boxing and junior amateur boxing pinweight is, or has been, a Weight class (boxing), ...

title in 2013; and the WBO female

light-flyweight Light flyweight, also known as junior flyweight or super strawweight, is a Weight class (boxing), weight class in boxing. Professional boxing The weight limit at light flyweight in professional boxing is 108 pounds (49 kilograms). When New York (s ...

title in 2018.

Early life

Abaniel's father thought she should learn martial arts like

karate (; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the ...

and she later grew interested in boxing, joining the national team to start her amateur career. Abaniel is a

Seventh-day Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventism, Adventist Protestantism, Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the Names of the days of the week#Numbered days of the week, seventh day of the ...

Boxing career

Amateur

Abaniel, a resident of

Puerto Princesa Puerto Princesa, officially the City of Puerto Princesa (Cuyonon: ''Siyudad i'ang Puerto Princesa''; fil, Lungsod ng Puerto Princesa), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Mimaropa region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, ...

, has been supported by her town's mayor, Edward Hagedorn, throughout her career, even when becoming part of the Philippine national team in 2003 due to inadequate support from the

Philippine Sports Commission The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC, ) is an agency of the Philippine government which tackles matters concerning sports in the country. The sports agency is independent from the Philippine Olympic Committee which enjoys autonomy from the gov ...

. As an amateur boxer competing for her country, Abaniel won a bronze medal at the

2005 Women's World Amateur Boxing Championships The 2005 Women's World Amateur Boxing Championships was an international women's boxing competition hosted by Russia from September 25 to October 2, 2005 in Podolsk. It was the 3rd championship, which debuted 2001 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, United ...

in Russia. She has also won titles in tournaments held in Taiwan.

Professional

Citing lack of support from the government, Abaniel turned professional in 2006. Abaniel won her first world title match against Thailand's Nongbua Lookpraiaree after a tenth-round unanimous decision allowed her to capture the vacant Women's International Boxing Association World minimumweight title. She lost her title to Samson Tor Buamas in Sukhothai, Thailand on February 19, 2011. 2015 Abaniel won her match in Ludwigsburg MHP Arena, Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, against undefeated hometown favorite, German-Turkish Oezlem Sahin for the WIBF/GBU world light flyweight title. Judges scored (96-94,94-96,99-91) granting her a split decision victory.

Professional boxing record

Titles and Accomplishment

WIBA Women's International Boxing Association Minimumweight title (2009, 2014, 2016)
WBC International female minimumweight title (2007) ''Other Titles:''
WIBA Minimumweight Intercontinental Title
Women's International Boxing Federation World Minimumweight title
Global Boxing Union Female World Minimumweight title

Appearances in media

She was a contestant on the television program '' The Amazing Race Philippines 2'', being a part of an athleticism focused duo with Luz McClitton.The Amazing Race Philippines
Reality Fan Forum Retrieved April 25, 2019 She was also a guest on a morning news-talk program called GMK conceptualized by

Daniel Razon Daniel Soriano Razon (; born October 11, 1967) is a Filipino television and radio host.Balares, DindoDaniel Razon resigns from GMA June 16, 2006. He is currently the Overall Servant (minister; tl, Lingkod Pangkalahatan) of the Members Chur ...

. She also participated on a Philippine variety show called '' It's Showtime:Trabahula'' on March 10, 2016

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Abaniel, Gretchen 1985 births Living people Filipino women boxers People from Puerto Princesa Sportspeople from Palawan Filipino Seventh-day Adventists Atomweight boxers The Amazing Race contestants