Santisima, streaking Japanese clash in Osaka this Saturday

Jeo Santisima (left) and Toshiki Shimomachi (right) strike a pose after the weigh-in for their 10-rounder bout in Osaka Japan tomorrow. | Photo from Sanman Boxing Gym Facebook page.

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Former world title contender Jeo “Santino” Santisima and Japanese Toshiki Shimomachi passed the official weigh-in to greenlight their 10-round bout at the EDION Arena in Osaka Japan, tomorrow, December 11, 2022.

Santisima, 26, of ZIP Sanman Boxing Team tipped the weighing scales at 124.8 pounds, while Toshiki Shimomachi came in at 125.4lbs during today’s weigh-in.

It can be recalled that last August 14 Santisima upset Hiroshige Osawa via technical knockout at the same venue.

The victory reignited Santisima’s spirit after he lost to American Joet Gonzales last March for the WBO International featherweight strap in Fresno, California via technical knockout.

Santisima holds a record of 22 wins with 19 knockouts and four losses, while Shimomachi has a 15-1-2 (win-loss-draw) record with 11 knockouts.

Shimomachi is on a 13-fight winning streak since 2017, making him a dangerous foe for the Aroroy, Masbate native.

Filipino boxers recently have spectacular outings in Japan which is considered a tough place to win.

Joey Canoy of Sanman Boxing Gym beat Kenichi Horikawa via a seven-round TKO to clinch the vacant Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) light flyweight title at the same venue where Santisima and Shimomachi will collide.

Before that, Santisima’s stablemate, Esneth Domingo also won via TKO against Jukiya Iimura last October 20 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan in a non-title bout.

With the string of impressive victories from Filipino boxers, Santisima hopes to ride on this momentum and stage another upset tomorrow.   /rcg

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