ORIENTAL and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) welterweight king and World Boxing Council No. 6 Rev Santillan is all poised to make the second defense of his crown when he takes on Kazuhiko Hidaka in a 12-round battle of southpaws on March 19 at the famous Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
The power-punching 5-11 southpaw, the country’s heaviest world-ranked fighter, said yesterday that his preparation is on schedule.
The 27-year-old Santillan, managed by Rex “Wakee” Salud and trained by Brix Flores, has kept himself in shape at the Wakee Salud gym in Labangon, Cebu, where he has already racked up some 60 rounds of sparring against Ramil Caballes and Dexter Delada, who is himself preparing for a titular showdown with Bobby Pacquiao.
The 5-10 Hidaka parades a 20-4 win-loss card with 14 KO’s. The 26-year-old Tokyo fighter is on a five-bout winning streak.
Santillan, nicknamed “Gentle Giant” because of his likable demeanor outside the ring, owns a 21-1-1 win-loss-draw record with 15 KOs.
