SIKHAIR, Bahrain – An inappropriate injury three years ago led Josie Gabuco to make a crucial life-changing decision in her boxing career.
On a comeback trail in 2022, Gabuco, then 35, went down with an injury while training and preparing for an invitational tournament, where she eventually failed to compete.
She decided then and there that she has had enough of fighting and competing.
“Yun ang naging call sa akin na, ‘Ok, tama na.’ Kaya pa ng isip mo, pero tagilid na yata sa katawan,” she recalled.
Still, the multi-titled lady boxer stayed with the sport, albeit in a different capacity.
Two years upon hanging up her gloves, Gabuco began to take a new career path as part of the coaching staff of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines.
Currently, she oversees the development of the youth and juniors boxing team for girls like the 3rd Asian Youth Games here that came to a close on Friday.
READ: Team PH matches best finish in AYG even with seven-gold haul
The six-man Filipino squad bagged a bronze medal in the tournament courtesy of Leo Mhar Lobrido in the boys’ 46kg, as two lady pugs in Shairylle Pores (46kg) and Ermalie Caballero (50kg) failed to reach the podium.
Still, just seeing the next generation Filipina boxers compete and train hard for an international competition like the AYG was enough fulfillment as far as Gabuco is concerned.
“Masaya kasi kahit paano kung ano yung na-experience mo dati, naibibigay mo na sa kanila,” said the native of Puerto Princesa. “So masarap yung pakiramdam na naii-share mo yung knowledge mo sa boxing.”
Coach Josie's decorated career as an athlete
And when it comes to knowledge of the sport, Gabuco has tons of it.
Competing at 48kg, Gacubo won a gold medal in both the World Championships (2012 Qinhuangdao, China) and Asian Championships (2019 Bangko).
She was actually the first Filipina boxer to win a gold in the world meet.
In the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Manila, Gabuco won a record fifth gold medal in boxing, becoming just the second boxer in the history of the biennial meet to achieve the feat after Somjit Jongjohor of Thailand.
The only missing piece in her decorated resume was an Olympic stint, as she had the unfortunate fate of not having her weight category included in the boxing event of the quadrennial meet.
“Nanghinayang din kasi wala yung weight category ko sa Olympics. Sayang, kasi kung nabigyan sana ng pagkakataon, baka sakali,” she said.
As it was, Nesthy Petecio became the first Filipina to win a boxing medal for the country when she took home the 52kg silver during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Gabuco said she didn’t attempt to move up in weight in a bid to compete in the Olympics.
“Kasi nung time na yun, hindi talaga ako lumalaki. Ngayon na lang ako lumalaki,” she giggled, poking fun at herself for her current weight.
But she has no regrets at all.
“Sa awa ng Diyos, meron naman tayong naging ambag,” said Gabuco. “In all, naging satisfied naman ako sa naging performance ko sa (boxing) career ko.”
Now, it’s time to trek a new path for coach Josie.
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