Rene “Chulo” Santiago, Masataka Taniguchi Officially Make Weight for Friday’s Unified World Title Clash in Tokyo
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 02 Apr 2026
Oguni-Tapales and Midorikawa-Kato Also Set for TREASURE BOXING 12
TOKYO, JAPAN — Unified WBO/WBA Junior Flyweight World Champion Rene “Chulo” Santiago of Puerto Rico and former world champion Masataka Taniguchi of Japan both made weight Thursday and are officially set for their highly anticipated world title showdown this Friday, April 3, at the famed Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
Santiago weighed in at 48.6 kilograms (107 1/4 pounds), while Taniguchi came in at 48.9 kilograms (108 pounds), clearing the final hurdle ahead of their championship encounter. Also making weight for the featured bouts, Marlon “Nightmare” Tapales weighed 56.05 kilograms (123 3/4 pounds) against Yukinori Oguni, who came in at 56.0 kilograms (123 1/2 pounds), while Tsukuru Midorikawa weighed 69.7 kilograms (153 3/4 pounds) and Hisashi Kato came in at 69.5 kilograms (153 1/4 pounds).
Santiago enters the bout with momentum and confidence following his rise as one of boxing’s most determined road champions, having dethroned two Japanese world champions in 2025. Now, he returns to Japan once again with the task of defending his unified crown against a former titleholder eager to reclaim his place on the world stage.
“This has been a disciplined camp from start to finish, and I’m arriving at this fight exactly the way a world champion should,” said Santiago. “I know what it means to defend these titles in Japan, and I’m fully prepared for the challenge in front of me.”
“I respect Taniguchi and everything he has accomplished, but when the bell rings, my focus is on showing why I am the champion and why these belts are coming back with me.”
Taniguchi, fighting in front of his home-country fans, welcomed the opportunity to challenge for the unified championship.
“I understand the importance of this fight and the level of opponent in front of me,” said Taniguchi. “I have prepared seriously for this moment, and I believe my performance will reflect that.”
“This is a major opportunity in my career. Fighting in Tokyo, in front of my supporters, gives me even greater motivation to deliver.”
The world title bout headlines TREASURE BOXING 12, a card led by Masayuki Ito that also features a strong co-main event between former world champions Yukinori Oguni and Marlon Tapales over 10 rounds. With all principal fighters officially on weight, the stage is now set for an outstanding night of boxing in one of the sport’s most respected venues.
Santiago vs. Taniguchi is presented by Treasure Boxing in association with Tuto Zabala Jr. / All Star Boxing, Inc. The event will air live in Japan on U-Next, in Puerto Rico on WAPA TV, and throughout Latin America on ESPN KNOCKOUT.
Photos Naoki Fukuda
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