Giovani Santillan wins paper-thin decision over Antonio DeMarco
Giovani Santillan and Antonio DeMarco met fought in the co-main event of Top Rank on ESPN’s June 16 card. Santillan won, but should he have?
Antonio DeMarco (33-9-1, 24 KOs) stopped Jorge Linares in 2011 to win the WBC lightweight title. That was nine years ago. Since then, he has lost seven times, including on Tuesday, June 16, against undefeated welterweight Giovani Santillan (26-0, 15 KOs). However, Santillan underwhelmed and was fortunate to receive the majority decision.
DeMarco’s tale is a common one in boxing. He’s a former champion who’s not what he once was, but DeMarco has repeatedly proven that he still has something left in the tank. He was on the wrong side of the decision against the 28-year-old Santillan, but he deserved the victory.
DeMarco looked all of 34 years old in the first two rounds. His punching speed was average, and his reaction time was a beat slow. Santillan looked young and vibrant compared to the aged veteran, but DeMarco showed experience, resiliency and class as the fight went on.
From round 4 through the end of the 10th, DeMarco got the better of Santillan. Santillan tried to fight at close quarters with DeMarco all night, which proved to be a mistake. DeMarco was the more active boxer, and Santillan couldn’t find an answer for DeMarco’s lead right hooks to the body.
Numerous times throughout the night, DeMarco targeted Santillan’s kidney with his right hand, which routinely dropped Santillan’s hands. His bodywork slowed Santillan’s output and negated his edge in youth.
DeMarco was the toughest opponent of Santillan’s career. The younger fighter didn’t handle the challenge well and looked out of his league at times. DeMarco is not the same boxer he was in 2011, but his punching power and intelligence are present and got the better of Santillan despite the judges’ scorecards.
There were several close rounds like round 8, but it was hard to excuse the two scores of 96-94 in Santillan’s favor. The lone score of 95-95 was more justified.
Nearly a year ago, DeMarco fought rising prospect Jamal James in James’ hometown of Minneapolis. The judges were unanimous in James’ favor with identical scores of 98-92, but DeMarco was still able to hurt James, and he was even more impressive against Santillan.
DeMarco’s experience and former glory are a memory, and judges see him as a gatekeeper. They allowed that narrative to influence their scores in favor of the younger, undefeated Santillan. Simply put, they’re biased. DeMarco deserved a victory, but his current reputation tainted the playing field.
Santillan got the win but did nothing to show that he’s ready for the best boxers in the welterweight division. His stock dropped, and he appears to be more hype than substance. Santillan is lucky to be still undefeated, but luck doesn’t last long in boxing.