Veteran boxing writer Joe Santoliquito is the new president of the Boxing Writers Association of America, succeeding six-term president Jack Hirsch. Santoliquito officially ascends to the top spot within the organization on Jan. 1.

“It’s an exciting opportunity,” Santoliquito said of his election, the result of which was certified on Nov. 8 in Atlantic City, N.J., at the BWAA’s annual winter business meeting. “The BWAA is a great organization that has meant so much to boxing, and has done so much for boxers and for the writers who cover them. I want to say that I owe a debt to my predecessors, Jack Hirsch and Bernard Fernandez, who set the bar high for what I hope to accomplish in my own presidency.”

Santoliquito is an accomplished athlete in his own right, having played second nationally in weightlifting, in the 132-pound weight class, during his senior year at Temple University, where he also was an NCAA Academic All-America. He is a former associate editor and managing editor at The Ring magazine, for which he continues to regularly contribute pieces. His work history includes stints as a staff writer at The Philadelphia Inquirer and as a regular contributor to The Philadelphia Daily News. He currently is a contract writer for CBS’ sports web site, and is a two-time Emmy Award nominee for stories he authored which became videos featured on SportsCenter and HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. Known for his exhaustive research and ability to find the story within a story, he also has won six awards in the BWAA writing contest.

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