JEO SANTISIMA HEADLINES PINOY PRIDE 45
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 09 Oct 2018
CEBU CITY ? Masbate native knockout artist and one of ALA Gym's most promising fighters Jeo 'Santino' Santisima will headline the 45th edition of ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN's Pinoy Pride 45 slated on Nov. 24 at the IEC Convention Center here. Santisima, the current WBO Oriental super bantamweight champion who stopped 13 of his last 14 opponents inside six rounds, will defend his title against Mexican Victor Uriel 'Yuca' Lopez, the current WBC Latino super bantamweight title holder, this was announced during the formal launching of the Pinoy Pride 45 event at the Summit Hotel Fuente Osme?a Tuesday.
?It is my dream to headline Pinoy Pride. And now it is here. I thanked ALA Promotions greatly for giving me this opportunity. I hope this event will be successful,? Santisima told the Cebu sports media.
As for fighting a Mexican for the first time, Santisima said, ?This is a difficult fight for me because Mexicans come to fight. But at the same time this will be a good fight that boxing fans will enjoy.?
Lopez (13-6-1, 6KOs) is coming from three successive wins, two by knockouts, the last one against fellow Mexican Antonio Tostado Garcia (22-6-0, 7KOs) whom he stopped in the second round to capture his current WBC belt.
Santisima (16-2-0, 14KOs) is now ranked 15th by the WBO in the super bantamweight division and a good performance against Lopez will improve his world rankings and inch him closer to challenge for the world title belt currently being held by Ghana's sensation Isaac Dogboe. Asked about Santisima's chances against Dogboe, Santisima's trainer Michael Domingo said ?Jeo is ready to fight for a world title. We are just waiting for the opportunity to present itself.?
Pinoy Pride 45 (L-R): Trainer Michael Domingo, Edmund Villamor, Arthur Villanueva, Albert Pagara, Jeo Santisima, Matchmaker Edito Villamor, KJ Cataraja, Jonas Sultan and ALA Promotions executive Jeana Alvarez.
Jeo Santisima (C) answers a question during Tuesday's press conference.
Two WBO regional titles will also be at stake in the two co-feature fights.
?Prince? Albert Pagara (30-1-0, 21KOs) will defend his WBO Inter-Continental super bantamweight title against George Krampah (14-3-0, 12KOs) of Accra, Ghana. Pagara, ranked No. 5 by the WBO, is also in the trajectory to challenge Dogboe, and fighting his compatriot, may add chances for the Maasin native to eventually face the Ghanian champion.
?If it will happen, so be it. I'll fight Dogboe. Whoever. But I will also want fight Cesar Juarez in a rematch,? Pagara said whose only blot in his record was an 8th round stoppage by Juarez on July 9, 2016 in San Mateo, California. Pagara last saw action in his hometown in Maasin last June 9 where he stopped Laryea Gabriel Odoi, also of Ghana, in the 3rd round of their 12-round scheduled contest.
Rising prospect KJ Cataraja (8-0-0, 7KOs) will face Victor Hugo 'Scarface' Reyes (9-1-1, 7KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico for the WBO World Youth super flyweight title. Cataraja, a criminology graduate who last saw action in his hometown in Tabuelan last June 16 where he stopped Indonesian Frengky Rohi in three stanzas, is positioning himself to be ranked in the world if he beats the Mexican.
Also seeing action in the stacked card are former world title challengers Jonas Sultan and 'King' Arthur Villanueva. Sultan will face Ardin Diale in a 10-round non-title fight while Villaneva's opponent has yet to be named.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
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