The Filipino Flash will be facing a young, determined Mexican on Sunday.
Alexandro Santiago of Mexico will be looking to win his first major title on Sunday when he fights former bantamweight kingpin Nonito Donaire Jr. in the undercard of the much-anticipated showdown between Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford.
And the 27-year-old Mexican looks more than ready for what could potentially be his breakthrough performance, telling Boxing Scene through an interpreter that he is ready to win a world title.
Perhaps more importantly, Santiago admitted he is not taking The Filipino Flash lightly.
“Look, Nonito remains Nonito,” Santiago said. “I’m not about to assume anything about an all-time great fighter like him. We’re preparing to face the absolute best version of him, and we are fully aware of what he’s capable of.”
What Donaire is capable of in this case is a vintage performance—the kind he delivered in December 2021 against compatriot Reymart Gaballo, whom he knocked out in four rounds, and in May 2021 versus Nordine Oubaali to win the very same belt he will try to regain on Sunday against the Mexican.
Wary of facing an in-form Donaire, it appears Santiago has left no stone unturned in his preparations for Sunday’s title scrap, which was originally supposed to take place on July 16, before it was rescheduled and made part of the Spence versus Crawford fight card.
“We had a great training camp, we had great preparation and I’m fully confident that I can go out there and win and become a world champion,” Santiago further told Boxing Scene. “The world is gonna witness a future champion… I’m prepared mentally and physically for a really big challenge that’s gonna be like nothing I’ve ever faced before.”
Donaire, though, is just as ready, telling Boxing Scene back in June that he is “coming to the ring to take that belt home” and that “there’s no second option.”
With both men all set, Sunday’s title showdown ought to be a good one.