Junior flyweight Rene Santiago scored a large unanimous resolution victory over Ricardo Astuvilca on Wednesday in a triumphant homecoming at Coliseo Alcalde Marcelo Trujillo Panisse in Humacao, Puerto Rico.
The judges scored the bout 98-92, 100-90 and 100-90 for Santiago, although Astuvilca delivered a gritty efficiency regardless of stepping in on extraordinarily quick discover.
Santiago, 13-4 (9 KOs), from Humacao, began strongly towards Astuvilca, who took the struggle as a last-minute alternative for Azael Villar and was solely confirmed as Santiago’s opponent on the weigh-in. Astuvilca, 23-3 (5 KOs), from Lima, Peru, traded punches from the opening bell, exhibiting resilience in a aggressive first spherical capped by a stable physique shot from Santiago.
Within the early rounds, Santiago’s proper hand constantly linked on Astuvilca’s temple, whereas Astuvilca labored Santiago’s physique. Santiago started boxing within the third, although he absorbed a stable proper from Astuvilca earlier than closing the spherical strongly with Astuvilca on the ropes. By the fourth, Astuvilca started slowing, seemingly feeling the consequences of the quick discover, and a minimize opened over his proper eye.
A heated body-shot change outlined the sixth spherical, with Santiago gaining the sting and the group loving it. Astuvilca protested towards an elbow that hit him through the change and worsened the minimize over his eye, which prompted a health care provider’s verify.
Reinvigorated, Astuvilca pressed on, although he appeared to injure his hand or arm within the seventh, visibly shaking it after exchanges, however managed to complete the spherical. Within the eighth, after being noticed by the ringside doctor, Astuvilca cheekily faked a glove contact, launching a left hook to begin the spherical, including stress together with his roughhouse ways.
Astuvilca landed an ungainly proper within the ninth, pushing Santiago right into a brawl and aiming for the physique as Santiago regarded uncomfortable however rallied within the last moments. The tenth noticed each fighters going toe-to-toe, with Santiago closing sturdy to safe his victory. On the last bell, they embraced, elevating their arms to a cheering crowd.
Whereas Santiago managed a lot of the struggle, Astuvilca’s 10-round effort made for compelling theater in a basic underdog story.