By: Sean Crose
Future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire, 42-7, battled the 27-3-5 Alexandro Santiago for the WBC bantamweight title Saturday evening on the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The bout was scheduled for 12. Both males have been lively within the first. Donaire pushed the motion and Santiago confirmed he wasn’t afraid to tug the set off. Donaire had a strong second, however Santiago took the struggle to the previous champion by the top of the spherical.
Donair landed onerous on his man within the first half of the third, inflicting blood to run down Santiago’s face. To is credit score, nonetheless, Santiago was in a position to get by the spherical. By the fourth, it was Donaire whose face was displaying put on and tear. With that in thoughts, he nonetheless appeared in management. The fifth spherical was tight. Donaire was not going to have the ability to stroll by Santiago, who was proving himself to be fairly decided.
Indeed, Santiago continued to struggle properly towards Donaire within the sixth. Santiago put his punches collectively fairly properly within the seventh. This was adopted by a reasonably nasty head lower. Donaire appeared a bit hesitant to behave within the eighth. In his fifth decade, the person was beginning to present his age. By the top of the eighth it appeared as if Santiago is likely to be breaking the previous champion down. Sure sufficient, Santiago chopped away at Donaire within the ninth. To his credit score, nonetheless, Donaire fought again gamely.
Still, there was an argument to be made that Donaire was letting the struggle slip by throughout the tenth and eleventh rounds. It was clear by the twelfth and remaining spherical that Donaire wanted a knockout to win. He was unable to get rating one. Santiago received the struggle, and the WBC title, by way of hard-earned unanimous choice.
