2ND AWARD. La Trinidad, Benguet-based Highland Boxing Promotions led by Brico Santig (center) was named Boxing Promoter for Southeast Asia for 2019 by the WBC-Asia Boxing Council. The awarding will be held on March 14 before the WBC-ABC grand boxing convention. (PNA photo courtesy of Brico Santig)
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – After getting the nod of BoxRec as the Promoter of the Year for 2019, another boxing body will confer the same to boxing promoter based here as its top for the past year in Southeast Asia.
Highland Boxing Gym owner Brico Santig will get the Boxing Promoter of the Year for Southeast Asia award during the World Boxing Council–Asian Boxing Council conference on March 14-16 at the Athenee Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.
In his Feb. 19 letter, WBC-ABC president Kovid Bhakdidhumi invited Santig to join the three-day conference which will start with the gala night where the top boxing promoters will be recognized.
“WBC-Asia Boxing Council (ABC) is most pleased to inform you that you have been selected to receive the 2019 ‘Southeast Asia Promoter of the Year’ award,” Bhakdidhumi said.
Bhakdidhumi said the awards will also have the grand convention where WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman will be the guest of honor who will confer Santig and other awardees the award.
In a separate letter on the same date, Bhakdidhumi said the awards will be the first of the three-day WBC Muay Thai world convention at the same venue.
The two-day convention will see an “in-depth WBC Asia boxing ring officials seminar on Sunday, the 15th and Monday, the 16th of March at the same venue.”
“This is a great opportunity for aspiring and experienced boxing ring officials to gain more professional knowledge and attain official WBC Asia Boxing Council ring official certification,” Bhakdidhumi said.
Santig started this year with a five-title bout promotion at the Manila Arena last Feb. 15.
The Deadly Combination by Highland Boxing Promotion saw a WBC-Asia heavyweight championship fight between American Eric Pen and Indonesian Alexander Bajawa which the former won via fourth-round technical knockout; the Asian Boxing Federation light flyweight match between Sho Kimura of Japan and Filipino Merlito Sabillo; the WBC Asia super middleweight championship fight between Trongdinh Hoang of Vietnam and Thai Yuttana Wongda; the WBC Female International super flyweight fight of Hee Jung Yuh of South Korea and Thai Kanyanat Chotchun; and, the ABF middleweight championship bout between Prabjhot Singh of Bulacan and Nelson Gulpe of Surigao del Sur, who was replaced by Mark Sales.
Kimura won over Sabillo; Hoang won over Wongda via TKO, Hee stopped Chotchun, while Sales won via unanimous decision over the Philippine-based Indian Singh.
Four undercards were also scheduled in the event.
Last year, BoxRec has listed Santig’s promotion as the best among the top 12 boxing promoters in the country.
Santig’s Highland Boxing Promotions came out with promotions which produced 17 titles topping well known promoters like the Elordes and Aldequer.
Jim Claude Mananquil came up with 10 promotions including six title fights to be adjudged, runner-up.
Gabriel Elorde Jr., on the other hand, had five promotions with eight titles, while Johnny Elorde came up with four promotions producing two titles.
Michael Aldequer had four promotions in 2019 while former world champion Gerry Peñalosa had five promotions the past year, two of which were titled fights.
Santig’s young partner Darwin Miller Dep-ay had four promotions to his credit.
In January, Santig also opened his new gym in Bangkok, Thailand in another location after more than one-year of closure when the building of his old gym was sold by its owner. (PNA)
