SanMan boxing looking good

Things are looking up for fighters aligned with SanMan Boxing of General Santos City.

You see, the boxing stable cum promotional outfit owned and operated by JC Mananquil boasts of reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem, one of just two Filipino world champions.

Mananquil also has in his stable former unified world super-bantamweight king Marlon Tapales, who is in the thick of training for a fight in February 2025.

“We are looking at bringing Marlon back to Cambodia,” Mananquil said.

A few months ago, Tapales fought in Phnom Penh and the Cambodians were so impressed by his performance and Mananquil’s professionalism that they made it clear that they are going to hold another show there again.

Being active is foremost on Tapales’ set of priorities since he is rated highly in the world in the 122-lb class.

As soon as Naoya Inoue decides to move up to featherweight, all four sanctioning bodies would hold title fights involving the top two contenders.

Tapales is No. 2 in the WBC, No. 5 in the World Boxing Association and No. 3 in the International Boxing Federation.

If he stays busy, there’s no reason why he would lose his lofty ranking and chance to fight for one of the titles that Inoue will vacate.

Apart from Tapales, SanMan also has Ar-Ar Andales, who, just recently outfought former world champion Rene Mark Cuarto in Manny Pacquiao Presents: Blow-By-Blow in Quezon City.

And a few weeks earlier, another big name of SanMan Boxing — Froilan Saludar — made waves by beating erstwhile unbeaten Venezuelan William Flores in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

The victory should boost Saludar’s status in the world ratings very soon.

With Sean Gibbons of MP Promotions and Viva Promotions assisting SanMan, there is simply no other way but up for Mananquil’s fighters in the coming year.

Meanwhile, Jerusalem is on his way to Hamburg in Germany to attend the WBC convention.

Mananquil won’t be there owing to family matters but Jerusalem will be accompanied there by his Japanese management team.

Surely, Jerusalem’s going to have a ball following a masterful and unforgettable 2024.

Rolling out the red carpet is no less than WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman.