Underdog Jeo Santisima shoots for WBO crown against Mexican champ Emanuel Navarrete

By Nick Giongco

To place a bet on Filipino challenger Jeo Santisima, who aims to dethrone World Boxing Organization (WBO) super-bantamweight titlist Emanuel Navarrete on Saturday night (late Sunday morning in Manila), one has to go on-line to do it.

Oddsmakers have given Santisima virtually no chance to win that the sportsbook at the MGM Grand didn’t even bother to post a line on the Navarrete-Santisima showdown for the WBO 122-lb title that takes place underneath the world heavyweight brawl between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury.

“I can’t find odds on the fight!!!” noted British boxing scribe Gareth Davies told the Manila Bulletin from Sin City.

“None there yet,” added Davies, who writes for The Telegraph and in Las Vegas to chronicle the much-awaited heavyweight rematch.

During the official weighin, Santisima and Navarrete came in at 122 lbs. The referee will be Russel Mora and judges are Patricia Morse-Jarman, Don Trella and Julie Lederman.

Despite the odds, Santisima’s people are optimistic about their chances of knocking the crown off Navarrete’s head.

“Hoping Jeo can deliver in the fight but we believe in him that he can pull it off,” said Santisima’s head trainer Edito ‘Ala’ Villamor, who will be assisted in the cornerwork by Michael Domingo.

Navarrete (30-1 with 26 KOs) is making the fifth defense of the title and is heavily favored to bring the title back to Mexico.

Santisima (19-2 with 16 KOs) is a first-timer on the world stage but insists that he is more than ready to score an upset so huge it could go down as the biggest in recent years.

READ MORE: Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury bulk up for heavyweight showdown

Source: Manila Bulletin