Navarrete batters underdog Santisima
Credit to Author: Agence France-Presse| Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2020 16:13:11 +0000
LAS VEGAS: Emanuel Navarrete dominated Jeo Santisima on the way to an 11th-round technical knockout Saturday to retain his World Boxing Organization super-bantamweight world title.
Mexico’s Navarrete made his fifth defense of the crown in convincing style against the Filipino challenger, who was a heavy underdog fighting for a world title for the first time.
After a conservative start, Navarrete began to ramp up the pressure in the third round.
Santisima managed to back Navarrete into a corner in the fourth, but the champion unloaded on him in a big fifth round, rocking Santisima with a left hook.
Navarrete had Santisima in trouble again in the 10th and finally finished him the 11th with a series of unanswered blows that prompted referee Russell Mora to wave it off at 2:20 of the round.
The champion’s impressive finish came despite an apparent problem with his right hand.
“I hit him weirdly with my right and I hurt my thumb,” said Navarrete, who switched to a southpaw stance a few times late in the fight. “But I had to plough through it and get the win tonight.
Navarrete improved to 31-1 with 27 wins inside the distance. Santisima fell to 19-3 with 16 knockouts.
Santisima’s cutman, physician Edgardo dela Vega, told The Manila Times in an overseas call that their corner and Mora simultaneously decided to stop the fight.
“Malakas talaga si Navarrete pero saludo ako kay Santisima ayaw talaga niyang bumitaw (Navarrete is really strong but I salute Santisima for refusing to give up),” said Dela Vega.
The fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena was on the undercard of the heavyweight world title rematch between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury.
AFP WITH REPORT FROM JOSEF T. RAMOS