Acid test lies in path of Cebuano boxer Santisima

Cebuano boxer Jeo Santisima aims for a monumental upset when he faces World Boxing Organization world super bantamweight champion Emanuel Navarrete of Mexico at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas today.

Santisima was considered as a heavy underdog in the world championship clash yet believes that he has what it takes to pull off a stunner after he studied the previous matches of the Mexican.

“That’s nothing to me because I trained hard for this one and I studied him well,” said Santisima with 50-1 odds against him. “I watched five of his fights and I know what to do.”

“I’m going to be like Manny Pacquiao and win a world title in my first fight in the U.S. Achieving that is a huge motivation for me. It’s an opportunity I’m going to take advantage of,” he added.

Navarette, for his part, is also upbeat of retaining his world championship against Santisima, as he is looking forward to another “good performance” just like he did against Filipino Juan Martin Elorde last year.

“I draw inspiration from the other iconic fights between Mexican and Filipino fighters that have taken place right here, especially Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez,” Navarrete said.

“I am going for another knockout victory… and I will demonstrate once again that I am the best at 122 lbs.,” the Mexican pugilist added.

Navarrete will be entering the ring with an impressive 30-1-0 win-loss-draw record, including 26 stoppage wins, while Santisima, on the other hand, has a 19-2-0 slate (16 KO’s).

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Ilonggo guard Jericho Cruz was named as part of Guam’s 12-man roster facing New Zealand in the 2021 FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Asia Cup Qualifiers at the at the Yigo Village, Calvo Fieldhouse in Guam tonight.

The NLEX Road Warriors guard has been cleared by FIBA to suit up for the Guam National Men’s basketball team despite playing for Gilas Pilipinas during the 2013 Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar.

“Every player would want to play internationally,” Cruz said. “One of my dreams talaga is to play for the Philippines, but luck isn’t on my side here. I’m blessed and honored to be a part of Guam’s national team.”

Cruz’s participation for Guam in the qualification tournament has the blessing of Road Warriors head coach Joseller “Yeng” Guiao, as he believes that the lessons the Ilonggo guard will learn from Guam will help NLEX in its Philippine Basketball Association campaigns.

“I think that’s going to help him and that’s going to be a big honor for him,” said the former national men’s basketball team mentor.

Guam only has a game in the first window of the qualifiers since its supposed road match against Hong Kong was halted due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Aside from Cruz, also named as part of Guam’s team was former Adamson University Falcons guard William Stinett./PN