The first title defense of Rene Santiago’s WBO world light flyweight title will be against undefeated Japanese contender Kyosuke Takami on Dec. 17, at the Kokugikan Arena in Japan.
Even though he’s the defending champion, Santiago is going to be the betting underdog with +350 boxing odds. Takami, on the other hand, heads into the match as the betting favorite with -455 odds. A draw result has odds of +1600.
Kyosuke Takami vs. Rene Santiago Fight Odds
- Kyosuke Takami: -455
- Rene Santiago: +350
- Tie: +1600
Kyosuke Takami vs. Rene Santiago: Tale of the Tape
| Kyosuke Takami | Rene Santiago | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 23 | 33 |
| Height | 5’5½” | 5’3” |
| Record | 10-0 | 14-4 |
| Reach | 65.5 inches | 62.5 inches |
| Stance | Orthodox | Orthodox |
| TKO/KO Percentage | 80% | 64% |
Kyosuke Takami vs. Rene Santiago: Prediction
My prediction is a unanimous decision victory for Takami over Santiago because he’s the quicker and explosive fighter. Additionally, he’ll enjoy 2.5 inches of height and 3 inches of reach advantage, which will be crucial in exchanges.
With the speed and longer reach of Takami, I think he’ll employ a very rangy approach to maximize his edge in physicality. The challenger also needs to double his output in jabs and combinations to frustrate the defending champion.
Santiago isn’t known to have a one-punch knockout power, and he’ll need a lot of distance to cover against Takami, which is why I think that he’ll get hit a lot in this fight. However, I don’t expect a knockdown from either fighter.
Kyosuke Takami’s Recent Fight Results
Takami is an undefeated Japanese boxer who was a former Japan Boxing Commission light flyweight champion. His last five wins were against Kenichi Horikawa, Wulan Tuolehazi, Jomar Caindog, Toshiki Kawamitsu, and Erick Rosa.
Rene Santiago’s Recent Fight Results
Santiago is the reigning WBO world light flyweight champion who recently won the belt against Shokichi Iwata. Apart from his win over Iwata, he also defeated Carlos Ortega, Kevin Vivas, and Ricardo Astuvilca in his last five fights. His only loss was to Jonathan Gonzalez during this period.
Kyosuke Takami vs. Rene Santiago: Start Time
Dec. 17, 2 a.m. E.T.
Dec. 17, 1 a.m. C.T.
Dec. 17, 12 a.m. M.T.
Dec. 17, 11 p.m. P.T.
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