March 29, 2024

Baguio boxer Carl Jeffrey Basil is slowly making his presence felt in the ring following three successive victories since last year.
The 20-year-old Basil of Guisad stopped fellow Filipino boxer Juanito Hundante via technical knockout in the fifth round of their scheduled six-round bout in the light flyweight division in Sto. Domingo, Ilocos Sur.
Basil floored Hundante twice in the fifth round before the referee came to the latter’s rescue. Hundante is a professional boxer since 2013.
Basil’s coach, Jake Naboye of Mabikas Boxing Stable, said the young Ibaloy boxer showed his love for boxing at age 16 in 2016, the year he won gold in the Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association Meet when he represented Baguio.
Under the close watch of Naboye, a former varsity boxer of the University of the Cordilleras, Basil turned professional boxer in 2019.
“Carl wants to pursue his passion in boxing and like any boxer before him, he also wants to be a champion in the future,” Naboye said.
An orthodox boxer, Basil won his first professional bout with a TKO of John Michael Poblador, who was also making his pro debut, in Itogon, Benguet in April 2019.
Basil also won via unanimous decision against Leslie Manalo in a boxing promotion held likewise in Itogon in November 2019.
Naboye expressed hope Basil will get more exposure this year with support from the government and the private sector. – Harley F. Palangchao