SANTILLAN REGAINS OPBF TITLE

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By Dong Secuya

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Rev “The Gentle Giant” Santillan has regained the OPBF welterweight title with a explosive sixth round knockout over Japanese champion Taisei Marumoto in Amagasaki, Saturday.

Well-known Japanese boxing manager, matchmaker and TV commentator Joe Koizumi reported that Santillan “exploded a southpaw left” which had the champion who is ranked No. 21 by the WBC “prone on the deck at 2:12 of the sixth round.”

The 30 year old Santillan thus won the OPBF title for the fourth time having regained it from Hiroshi Watanabe by a split decision on April 4, 2004 before scoring an eighth round KO over Kazuhiko Hidaka on March 19, 2005 and from Marumoto last Saturday.

The 30 year old Filipino southpaw who is managed by Rex “Wakee” Salud won the title with a twelve round split decision over South Korea’s Suk Yun Hun on January 26, 2001 in Cebu City and had three successful defenses before losing the title to Hiroshi Yamaguchi by a split decision in April 20, 2006. Santillan was coming off a ten round unanimous decision over Shana Kisaragi last February 12.

Marumoto won the OPBF title with a seventh round TKO over Yamaguchi on September 18 last year and then successfully defended it against Yoshinori Takenaka, scoring a ninth round TKO last February 12.

With the win Santillan improved his record to 24-3-1 with 17 KO’s while Marumoto dropped to 20-8-1 with 9 KO’s.