By Jerome S. Galunan, Jr.

The recently released December 2017 rankings from the World Boxing Organization (WBO), the International Boxing Federation (IBF), and the World Boxing Council (WBC) each featured Negrense boxers among their Top 10.

Bago City-born boxer Aston ‘Mighty’ Palicte, who defended his North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super flyweight title against Mexican fighter Jose Alfredo Rodriguez last month, came in second on the super flyweight, or junior bantamweight, rankings behind Rex Tso of Hong Kong. Meanwhile, the IBF had him in third behind Cebu City-based Jonas Sultan and American boxer Rau’Shee Warren.

Genesis ‘Azukal’ Servania of Bacolod City, who knocked out his Thai opponent Kittiwat Sirichotchayakun in the first round of their fight last month, was ranked fifth by the WBO in the featherweight division.

For the WBC, ‘King’ Arthur Villanueva of Bago City ranked tenth in the bantamweight division./JSG, WDJ