Leo Santa Cruz vs. Alexis Santiago possible for May 2nd on Mayweather-Pacquiao card

By Boxing News - 04/17/2015 - Comments

santa cruz677By Dan Ambrose: A mismatch between WBC super bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz (29-0-1, 17 KOs) and #14 WBO bantamweight fringe contender Alexis Santiago (18-3-1, 8 KOs) is being talked about for the co-main event on the May 2nd undercard of the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao mega-fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

There had been talk of Santa Cruz facing #3 WBO Zsolt Bedak, but they’re now looking at putting Santa Cruz in with a bantamweight rather than someone from his own weight class at super bantamweight.

“Likely opponent for Leo Santa Cruz on May 2 Mayweather-Pacquiao card is Alexis Santiago. #boxing,” Dan Rafael said on his twitter.

This is about as worse a mismatch as Santa Cruz’s recent mismatches against old sparring partners and fringe contenders like Jesus Ruiz, Manuel Roman and Cristian Mijares. The good news that could come out of the Santa Cruz-Santiago mismatch is that Santa Cruz could be facing former three division world champion Abner Mares in the near future.

That fight is possible, but still not a sure thing. But even it does take place, it’s still disappointing that Santa Cruz was involved with four straight mismatches involving him facing guys that were way out of his league in terms of talent.

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Santa Cruz has talked about wanting to fight WBA/WBO super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux, but then nothing ever happens as far as the fight getting made. Instead, Santa Cruz ends up facing another guy out of his league like former sparring partner Manuel Roman or Jesus Ruiz.

What’s sad is how quickly Santa Cruz’s popularity has dropped off in the last year. Santa Cruz was really popular just two years ago when he was beating Victor Terrazas, Cesar Seda and Alexander Munoz. But ever since he got those fights out of the way, Santa Cruz has beaten three woefully over-matched opponents in Ruiz, Roman and Mijares.

Boxing fans expect Santa Cruz to stand up for himself and push a fight against a dangerous opponent, especially with him fighting in Mayweather’s co feature bout. Fans want to see a high quality fight, not a fight matching Santa Cruz against a guy that doesn’t belong in the same ring as him.

Santiago has been beaten by Roman Gonzalez, Evaristo Primero and Randy Caballero in the last four years. The Gonzalez and Caballero fights were one-sided from start to finish. Santiago wasn’t in their league and this made it easy for Gonzaez and Caballero.



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