In good hands under Gibbons

Any day now, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) is going to order Masamichi Yabuki to make a mandatory defense of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight crown.

The lucky guy is no other than Filipino Miel Fajardo, who assumed the role of mandatory challenger last April when he blew away Tobias Reyes of Argentina in their title elimination match.

Once the official order comes out, the camps of Yabuki and Fajardo are going to start negotiations.

If they don’t reach a deal, a purse bid will be held.

Meanwhile, Fajardo isn’t taking it nice and easy.

He’s in the gym training just in case a fight can be put in place.

Not only that.

The American dealmaker is going the extra mile and looking way too ahead.

“Miel’s got a US embassy appointment in early September,” reported Anthony Arieta, who handles Gibbons’ affairs in the Philippines.

“If the visa appointment can be rescheduled earlier, we would welcome that,” he added.

Fajardo, who hails from Agusan del Sur, packs a 14-3-2 win-loss-draw card with 12 knockouts.

He is one of the country’s brightest prospects for a world title.

Gibbons told me a few days ago that there could be a chance that Fajardo, 26, will end up facing Yabuki in Japan.

“We are working on something for Miel in Japan,” he said.

Presently, the country has only one world champion.

Pedro Taduran reigns as the IBF minimumweight titlist and Fajardo might join him.

Like Fajardo, Taduran also fights under Gibbons’ wings, making it easy for him to secure that coveted world title crack.

With Gibbons at the helm, it’s just a matter of time before he finds himself on top of the ring challenging for a world title.