Jeo Santisima (left) and IBF world super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas (right) pose for the camera after their sparring session at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles. | Photo from Michael Domingo’s Facebook page.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Former world title challenger, Jeo “Santino” Santisima, and his trainer Michael Domingo will likely spend a longer time in the United States after the former’s February 5 bout in Fresno, California was rescheduled to March 4 due to COVID-19.
This developed as former two-division world champion Jose Pedraza of Puerto Rico had reportedly been tested positive for Covid-19.
Pedraza is scheduled to headline the fight card promoted by ESPN+ against American Jose Ramirez in a non-title bout.
Santisima, the former WBO world super bantamweight contender, is featured in the fight card wherein he is set to fight American Joet Gonzales in the undercard.
Despite the setback, Domingo sees a silver lining from it. Domingo says that it gives them extra time to train harder and spar with top-notch boxers.
Domingo and Santisima are currently training at the Wild Card Boxing Gym of Hall-of-Fame trainer Freddie Roach after arriving there earlier this month.
“For now, okay na si Jeo sa climate diri, naka adjust naman siya. Mas maayo kung na move ang duwa para mas taas pa mi ug sparring sessions diri,” said Domingo.
(For now, Jeo is okay with the climate here, he has already adjusted. So it would be better if the bout will be moved so that we will have more time for sparring sessions here.)
“Diha man gud sa Cebu, wala kaayo quality mga sparring partners niya. Diri, nindot kaayo iyang mga ka sparring partners, mga world rated ug world champion sama ni Jerwin Ancajas. Amo-a sad gitabangan sa sparring si Jerwin kay mas mauna man siya ug duwa kaysa ni Jeo,” he said.
(Here in Cebu, the quality of his sparring partners are not that great. Here his sparring partners are world rated and world champions like Jerwin Ancajas. We are also helping Jerwin in sparring because he is fighting first than Jeo.)
The 25-year-old Santisima, the pride of Aroroy, Masbate who is currently fighting under Zip-Sanman Promotions, is ranked No. 8 in the WBO featherweight division while Gonzales is No. 5.
Santisima is gunning for an upset to earn another chance to fight for the world title. His first attempt came up short when he lost to Emmanuel Navarrete of Mexico in 2020.
Santisima, a former ALA Boxing Gym stalwart, holds a record of 21 wins with 18 knockouts and three defeats. After losing to Navarrete, he went on a back-to-back victories against fellow Filipinos in Marjon Piencenaves and Alan Alberca, before heading to the United States with Domingo.
For Domingo, the one month window that’s caused by the postponement gives them enough time to fully-prepare against Gonzales (24-2, 14KOs).
“Mas advantage ni Jeo kay maka sparring pa siya ug maayo. Iyahang naka sparring si Azat Hovhannisyan ug Jerwin (Ancajas). Iyaha pud niya maka sparring si Marlon Tapales gikan sa Mexico. Mas taas among training ug sparring diri sa Wild Card Gym,” added Domingo.
(This is an advantage to Jeo because we have more time to spar. He has already sparred with Azat Hovhannisyan ug Jerwin (Ancajas). He will also spar with Marlon Tapales from Mexico. We will have longer time to spar here in the Wild Card Gym.)
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/dbs