Handig eyes no. 1 spot in next bout

WBC Asian Boxing Council minimum weight titlist gets a possible chance of being ranked no. 1 after the International Boxing Federation Championship Committee to challenge former minimum weight world champion Katsunari Takayama of Japan.

The 22-year-old Handig has a record of 12-5 with 7 knockouts, including a win on October 16, 2011 when he won the vacant WBC Asia Boxing Council title with a 7th round TKO of Bimbo Nacionales, dropping Nacionales twice in the seventh round after himself being dropped in the first.

Handig, a native of Catarman, Northern Samar, is now based in La Trinidad and is being handled by Brico Santig’s Highland Boxing where he shares the stable with WBO Oriental bantamweight champion Dayer Gabutan.

Takayama who has a record of 24-5 with 10 knockouts and the former WBC straw-weight world champion having won the title by a unanimous twelve round decisions over Isaac Bustos of Mexico in April 4, 2005.

Although no fight schedule has been announced, Santig’s Highland Boxing promotion won the rights to promote the event over Ala Promotions of Cebu where Takayama trains.

Talks are also ripe that the Takayama–Handig match-up will be part of the Rodel Mayol–Jose Alfredo Tirado fight this coming September 22 in the summer capital for the interim WBO Asia Pacific flyweight being primed up by businessman Anson Tiu-Co.

Mayol, a native of Mandaue City, Cebu will gun for his 32nd victory in 39 fights. He comes in with a five fight win streak including that 10 round stoppage of Julio Cesar Miranda last May 13 at the Ynares Sports Arena, in Pasig City.

The 32-year-old Tirado, meanwhile, will gun for the 30th victory of his boxing career and is also coming off a unanimous decision win against Jesus Ceja last May 25, in Sinaloa, Mexico for his fourth straight win in his last five fights. (Roderick Osis)