Nonito Donaire will one day have his name enshrined in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. However, there was no celebration of his career achievements on Saturday, July 29. Instead, the four-division champion was outworked and beaten by the younger Alexandro Santiago over the course of a dozen rounds. Two judges scored the bout 116-112 in favor of Santiago while another judge scored it 115-113 in favor of Santiago, who claimed his first world title on Saturday.
“It is so hard to explain this moment right now. All the work we put in for just this moment. It’s great just to win this title,” Santiago said after the fight.
The feeling of winning a world title is great, but taking down an idol to do so is an interesting experience. In Santiago’s words, it was an “honor” to share the ring with the iconic fighter.
“It has been an honor to fight such a legend like Nonito Donaire. He said thank you for giving me this great fight,” Santiago said when asked what the veteran said to him as they embraced after the scorecards were read.
At 40 years old, Donaire has nothing left to prove to boxing fans. However, the hunger he has to win a world title may bring him back to the ring in the future.
“I love the sport so much,” Donaire said when asked if he’ll keep fighting.
“I told my wife, who has the word (whether he will fight again). We just have to go back to the locker room, talk about it, and see where we go from there. There were just some times there where I didn’t pull the trigger. That was my biggest problem.”
Alexandro Santiago beat his idol Nonito Donaire to become the 118-pound WBC champ ? #SpenceCrawford pic.twitter.com/78CzZQRbVY
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) July 30, 2023
