Former world champion Josie Gabuco bowed to Uzbekistan’s Gulasal Sultonalieva, 4-1, on Thursday, May 27,  at the grand ballroom of the Le Meridien Hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The 34-year-old Gabuco, a five-time gold medalist in the Southeast Asian Games, settled for the bronze medal as she failed to defend the light flyweight title she won back in 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand where she was declared as the Best Woman Boxer.

If any consolation, Gabuco will receive $2,500 (P120,000) from the AIBA (International Boxing Association) for bagging the bronze medal of the 17-nation event.

With the defeat of Gabuco, the Philippines is left with just three gold medals that will be carried on by Eumir Marcial, Mark Lester Durens, and Junmilardo Ogayre.

Out to shine in his first foreign stint, the 20-year-old Durens looks to have a good opening salvo as he fights with Kazakhstan’s Daniyal Sabit at 48 kg light flyweight semifinal. 

Followed by Ogayre to take on top seed Mirazizbek Mirzahalilov of Uzbekistan at 56 kg bantamweight division.

The night will be highlighted by Tokyo Olympics-bound Marcial as he heads against Uzbekistan’s Jafarov Saidjamshid for the first time in the 75 kg division where the pride of Zamboanga City is the top seed.

Barcelona Olympics bronze medalists Roel Velasco and Joegin Ladon call the shots for the men’s team, while former Asian Women’s Boxing Championships gold medal winner Mitchel Martinez coaches the distaff side.