Junior flyweight Rene Santiago scored a wide unanimous decision 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, though Astuvilca delivered a gritty performance despite stepping in on extremely short notice.
Santiago, 13-4 (9 KOs), from Humacao, started strongly against Astuvilca, who took the fight as a last-minute replacement for Azael Villar and was only confirmed as Santiago’s opponent at the weigh-in. Astuvilca, 23-3 (5 KOs), from Lima, Peru, traded punches from the opening bell, showing resilience in a competitive first round capped by a solid body shot from Santiago.
In the early rounds, Santiago’s right hand consistently connected on Astuvilca’s temple, while Astuvilca worked Santiago’s body. Santiago began boxing in the third, though he absorbed a solid right from Astuvilca before closing the round strongly with Astuvilca on the ropes. By the fourth, Astuvilca began slowing, likely feeling the effects of the short notice, and a cut opened over his right eye.
A heated body-shot exchange defined the sixth round, with Santiago gaining the edge and the crowd loving it. Astuvilca protested against an elbow that hit him during the exchange and worsened the cut over his eye, which prompted a doctor’s check.
Reinvigorated, Astuvilca pressed on, though he appeared to injure his hand or arm in the seventh, visibly shaking it after exchanges, but managed to finish the round. In the eighth, after being observed by the ringside physician, Astuvilca cheekily faked a glove touch, launching a left hook to start the round, adding tension with his roughhouse tactics.
Astuvilca landed an awkward right in the ninth, pushing Santiago into a brawl and aiming for the body as Santiago looked uncomfortable but rallied in the final moments. The 10th saw both fighters going toe-to-toe, with Santiago closing strong to secure his victory. At the final bell, they embraced, raising their arms to a cheering crowd.
While Santiago controlled much of the fight, Astuvilca’s 10-round effort made for compelling theater in a classic underdog story.
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