SANTIG EXPECTS NEW DATE FOR BERCHELT-MAGALI WORLD TITLE FIGHT

By LITO DELOS REYES

THE handler of Orient and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) super featherweight champion Carlo “Ferocious” Magali is now expecting a new date for his ward’s championship fight against the undisputed WBC World super featherweight champion Miguel “El Alacran” Berchelt after the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) has disapproved their request to shorten his rest period.
Magali (23W-9L-3D, 12 KOs) is already set to challenge Berchelt (32W-1L-0D, 28 KOs on February 10 at the Plaza de Toros in Cancun, Mexico under the Zanfer Promotions of Mexican promoter Fernando Beltran.
But the GAB upon the recommedation of its boxing and medical division last January 25 has disapproved request by Magali’s manager Brico Santig of Highland Boxing Gym of La Trinidad, Benguet.
Santig had wants the GAB to shorten his boxer’s rest period of 45 days from his previous fight which he won by a 10th round technical knockout against Japanese challenger Masatoshi Kotani last January 13 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
But Magali’s last fight was not considered an easy fight or light punishment by GAB Boxing Chief Dioscoro Bautista and so Magali was not qualified for the shortened rest period.
GAB said that Magali will be 17 days short of the 45 days mandatory rest period on Feb. 10.
“We respect GAB’s decision. Maganda i-postphone na lang yun laban para wala tayong ma-violate na rules,” said Santig.
GAB under Chairman Abraham Kahlil “Baham” Mitra, however, assured that it will gladly process Santig’s application accordingly should the fight be rescheduled to comply with the rules of the Board.
Aside from Mitra, the GAB Board is also composed of Commissioners Ed Trinidad and Mar Masanguid.

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