Nonito Donaire vs Alexandro Santiago Finalized for July 15
In February 2023, 3kingsboxing.com reported that Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire (42-7, 28 KOs) would face Alexandro “Peque” Santiago (27-3-5, 14 KOs) for the WBC bantamweight title. Here’s the latest update on when and where the matchup will occur. Donaire – Santiago will take place July 15 in Las Vegas, Nevada on Showtime on the undercard of the lightweight contest between Frank Martin and Artem Harutyunyan.
The belt became vacant in January 2023 when undisputed champion Naoya Inoue decided to vacate the four major sanctioning world titles. Originally, Donaire was to face Jason “Mahem” Moloney for the vacant WBC title. But Moloney decided to go another route as he fought and beat Vincent Astrolabio to win the vacant WBO bantamweight title in May 2023.
A TALE OF TWO FIGHTERS
Donaire has been one of the elite fighters in boxing’s lower-weight divisions for the last fifteen years. A multiple-time world champion, The Filipino Flash is a future Hall of Famer. But he’s been out of the ring since June 2022, when he was stopped in two rounds in a rematch with Inoue.
Santiago is a rugged 27-year-old from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Some fans may remember his spirited effort in a disputed draw against then-IBF junior bantamweight champion Jerwin Ancajas in September 2018. Peque is coming off a seventh-round stoppage over former world title challenger David Carmona in October 2022.
At age 40, does Donaire still have the pepper? Was the stoppage loss to Inoue a sign that he has declined as a fighter? Can Santiago take advantage of this opportunity in his second attempt to win a world title? You have a certain air of mystery leading into this upcoming battle.
