Alex Santisima (left) and Arnel Buyoc (right) pose for a photo during their weigh-in on Friday, July 28, 2023. | Photo from Alex Santisima
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu-based Alex Santisima, one of the three Santisima siblings in boxing, will vie for the Philippine Boxing Federation (PBF) super bantamweight title tomorrow, Saturday, July 29, 2023, versus Arnel Buyoc in San Juan City, Metro Manila.
The Santisima-Buyoc tussle will be in the co-main event of the Blow-by-Blow by Manny Pacquiao card.
The 23-year-old fighter, the younger brother of former world title challenger Jeo “Santino” Santisima and one of Cebu-based ZIP Sanman Boxing Team’s prospects, passed the mandatory weigh-in on Friday, July 28.
He and Buyoc tipped the weighing scales at 121.5 pounds. They will battle for the PBF super bantamweight title for 10 rounds.
This will be Santisima’s first title bout against a slightly more experienced opponent in Buyoc who is from Cagayan de Oro City.
Both fighters are unbeaten.
Santisima has six wins with two knockouts. His most recent bout was against Ramel Antaran, which he won by disqualification last February in General Santos City.
Antaran was disqualified for excessive low blows, resulting in a fifth-round disqualification to give Santisima victory.
Meanwhile, Buyoc has an 8-0 (win-loss) record with one knockout and one draw. His most recent win was against Marzon Cabilla in Valencia City, Bukidnon via a ninth-round technical knockout.
Main event fight
On the other hand, the main event features the reigning PBF bantamweight champion, Kenneth Llover, against James Pagaling.
Also featured in the fight card is another Cebu-based boxer, John May Acope of Phoenix Boxing Gym in Lilo-an town, north Cebu.
Acope (4-1-1, 2KOs) will face Dennis Endar (4-1-1, 3KOs) in an eight-rounder bout.
Eleven more bouts will also spice up the undercard cast. /rcg
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