Jeo Santisima lands a left hook against his opponent in this file photo.
CEBU CITY, Philippines—With roughly two days before his fight, former world title challenger, Jeo “Santino” Santisima, believes he doesn’t need to adjust despite his opponent being replaced.
Santisima said his brand-new opponent, Alan Alberca, is a very familiar foe after he defeated the latter before.
Their rematch will be featured on Friday’s Zip SanMan fight card at the Tabunok Sports Complex in Talisay City, Cebu.
The 25-year-old Santisima, the pride of Aroroy, Masbate City, defeated Alberca way back in 2015 in a fight card promoted by the now-defunct ALA Boxing Promotions in Balamban town, western Cebu.
Santisima, who was just fighting his ninth professional bout that time, knocked out Alberca in the fifth round.
That knockout was Santisima’s fourth straight win, which eventually stretched into a 17-fight winning streak until 2020. His winning streak was snapped when he lost to Mexican Emanuel Navarette for the WBO world super bantamweight title in the United States.
“Wala kaayo ko adjustment ani nga fight kay na kontra mani nako siya kadtong tag ten-rounders pa akong mga fights,” said Santisima. “Na knockout na ni nako siya pag fifth round ata.”
Despite his familiarity of his new foe, Santisima said he will not be complacent as he believes that Alberca has also improved from that loss six years ago. Alberca holds a record of 11 wins with 6 knockouts along with 4 defeats.
Santisima, meanwhile, sports a record of 20-3-0 (win-loss-draw) with 17 knockout victories.
Alberca, also 25, is a native of Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte. His most previous bout was on August 31, 2019. He came up short when he was knocked out by Santisima’s former stablemate, Virgel Vitor, in Bohol.
Santisima was initially pitted against Virgil Puton, who backed out for unknown reasons.
/bmjo