Rene Santiago Eyes Unification with New IBF Champ Simsri
Thanongsak Simsri has officially made his mark as a force to be reckoned with. However, a fighter who is making it clear that he wants some smoke with Simsri is unified junior flyweight champion Rene “Chulo” Santiago, who views Simsri as the next step towards his goal of becoming undisputed at 108 pounds.
Simsri (40-1, 35 KOs) gained newfound respect with fans and pundits with a second-round knockout over Sergio Mendoza on April 13 in Tokyo, Japan. Someone who was clearly paying attention to the proceedings was Santiago. In the aftermath of Simsri’s victory, the unified champion took to social media, signaling his interest in a high-stakes showdown.
DRIVEN TO BE THE KING OF 108
Santiago (16-4, 9 KOs) feels he’s the man to beat in the division. The native of Puerto Rico inherently understands what comes with becoming undisputed: acclaim, legacy, and ultimate respect from the boxing community. Achieving that feat would not only cement his place in history as the first undisputed champion at 108 pounds, but also open the door for significantly bigger opportunities moving forward.
With Simsri riding momentum and Santiago holding multiple belts, the matchup is as compelling as it gets in the lower-weight classes. Logic suggests that Simsri’s camp would welcome the opportunity to face a unified champion in a bout that could elevate his standing even further.
Santiago has laid down the gauntlet. Now, the pressure shifts to Simsri and his team to respond. For fans of the lighter divisions, this is the kind of fight that demands attention—one that could ultimately determine who truly reigns supreme at junior flyweight.
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