By Nick Giongco
Filipino challenger Jeo Santisima finally came face-to-face with Mexican defending champion Emanuel Navarrete on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) just days before their battle for the World Boxing Organization super-bantamweight crown.
Filipino challenger Jeo Santisima come face-to-face with Mexican WBO super-bantam champion Emanuel
Navarrete in Las Vegas. (Photo from Top Rank)
During the formal grand arrivals at the MGM Grand, site of their showdown, Top Rank gave each of them their time to shine with separate entrances.
Shortly after, they were told to pose for the cameras and engage in a staredown.
Navarrete, making the fifth defense of the WBO 122-lb throne was cool, calm and collected.
Santisima (19-2 with 16 KOs), a first-timer in the US looked jittery and embarrassed.
Navarrete (30-1 with 26 KOs) is a massive 50-1 favorite to repulse Santisima’s challenge.
One of Navarrete’s title defense victims is Flash Elorde’s grandson Juan Miguel Elorde, who lasted four rounds in his bold bid to attempt and wrest the title from Navarrete last year.
Source: Manila Bulletin
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