Youngest of Santisima brothers scores TKO win in second pro bout

Gabriel Santisima’s hand is being raised by the referee following his 4th-round TKO win over Nathaniel Juan in Sarangani. | Photo from Michael Domingo.

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Gabriel Santisima, the youngest among the Santisima siblings in boxing unleashed his potential after scoring a technical knockout victory in his second professional bout in Malungon, Saranggani on Wednesday evening, July 12, 2023.

Santisima, the youngest brother of former world title challenger Jeo “Santino” Santisima and Alex Santisima of Masbate, stopped Nathaniel Juan in the fourth round in the undercard of the Sanman Boxing-promoted fight card.

This improved Santisima’s record to two wins with zero defeats. He debuted last March in the pro scene and won by unanimous decision against Rocky Sardido in Norala, South Cotabato.

This time, the Cebu-based Santisima, dominated the hapless Juan who he knocked down twice in the four-rounder bout.

Santisima landed a solid uppercut in the opening round that floored Juan, but the latter quickly got back on his feet and survived the round.

Santisima kept his patience in the next two rounds, before unleashing bone-crushing combinations in the fourth.

He then pinned Juan against the ropes with relentless attacks resulting in the TKO victory. A badly battered Juan almost fell out of the ring.

CANOY BULLIES AZARCON

In the main event, Sanman Boxing’s Joey Canoy also scored a fourth-round TKO against Big Yellow Boxing Gym’s Clyde Azarcon.

The Cebu-based Azarcon was downed four times in the lopsided bout. The first knockdown was caused by an accidental headbutt but was ruled a knockdown by the referee as both boxers were mixing it up in the second round.

However, Canoy, made sure that the next knockdown would come from a clean punch after hitting Azarcon with a counter uppercut. The latter quickly got up though.

In the fourth round, Azarcon was downed again with a body shot but went on to continue the fight only to get hit with a barrage of punches that downed him again.

This time, the referee decided he had seen enough and stopped the bout in favor of Canoy who improved to a 20-5-2 (win-loss-draw) record with 12 knockouts.

Azarcon suffered his fourth straight defeat that dropped his record to 17-8-1 with six stoppages.   /rcg

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