Boxer JK Natuplag and manager Brico Santig will stay much longer in the United Arab Emirates crown jewel, Dubai, as restrictions stay until the end of the month.
The two had to stay there after the boxer’s fight last June 5, a close decision against Natuplag.
“We will be flying home on the 15th,” Santig said earlier which all changed when the UAE government declared to impose a much longer restriction on travel and close the country.
“I guess we have to stay longer,” Santiog told RNG Luzon as he made up for the time of his stay there by getting in touch with former boxers and muay Thai fighters.
Said prizefighters, now trainers in Dubai, have pledged for Filipino pugilists and muay Thai fighters whose fights were cancelled since the Covid-19 pandemic struck.
Santig, the Highland Boxing Promotions top honcho, said that the former fighters will be giving six sacks of rice monthly starting on the last Saturday of July and every month after.
Santig, who is still in Dubai due to the lockdown in the United Arab Emirates after his ward’s JK Natuplag fight, said former World Boxing Association and Philippine Amateur Boxing Association champion Jun Paderna has organized their own community pantry intended to help Filipino boxers, who has not fought since the pandemic struck in March last year.
The distribution will start in the Visayas and then will go to Mindanao then Luzon, Santig said of the plan of the former prizefighter from the Wacky Salud Stable whom he met while in Dubai.
The group that include former Luzon Professional Boxing Association champion Junior Mendoza has pledged to help former boxing champions now that the monthly stipend given by the Sngwangcha Foundation has stopped due to the pandemic.
“Because the support from the Singwangcha Foundation has stopped, the former boxers and trainers here have united to help their fellow boxers and muay Thai fighters,” added Santig.
More, a boxer they train from Liverpool, England, Paul Watson, has pledged to give a sack of rice monthly as well as Quezon Province born Randy Navarro, who works as a contractor in Dubai, added Santig.
A sack of rice will also be given by Santig every month. Santig is expected to fly home Wednesday once the restriction in the rich MiddleEast country has eased up.