Spence vs. Crawford results: Nonito Donaire loses title bid to Alexandro Santiago

Alexandro Santiago dominates Nonito Donaire to claim WBC title

Nonito Donaire looked every minute of his 40 years tonight against Alexandro Santiago. Santiago won on all three judges cards to claim the vacant WBC bantamweight title, a belt the popular Filipino fighter won in 2021 and defended on one occasion.

Nonito Donaire vs. Alexandro Santiago highlights

Play-by-Play Analysis

Round 1

Donaire aggressive and taking center ring. Santiago early jabs miss. Donaire stalking. Santiago landing jabs. Both fighters trade hooks. Left hook scores for Santiago. More jabs landing for Santiago, Donaire lands to the body. Santiago 10-9

Round 2

Donaire whiffs early. They trade jabs. Santiago lands a hook-straight combo. They trade left hooks. Donaire lands clean with a left. Santiago wins an exchange. Santiago lands to the body. 10-9 Santiago. 20-18 Santiago.

Round 3

Donaire stalking Santiago. They trade jabs. Donaire hurts Santiago with a left. Santiago is cut! Santiago recovers and survives. Donaire landing with a variety of punches. 10-9 Donaire. 29-28 Santiago.

Round 4

Donaire looking to capitalize on his strong third round. They trade jabs early. Advantage Donaire. Donaire lands a right. Santiago with a jab and a right. Santiago 10-9. 39-37 Santiago.

Round 5

Donaire again controlling the center ring. Santiago landing nicely with jabs. They trade jabs. Donaire missing with his power shots. Santiago landing a left hook and crowding Donaire. Hook to the body from Donaire. 10-9 Santiago. 49-46 Santiago

Round 6

Santiago pushing forward. Crowding Donaire. Donaire looking for the big left hook but nothing doing. Donaire coming forward. Landing a jab. Santiago using lateral movement to dodge the jabs. Santiago lands a right to the body, dodges Donaire’s answer. 10-9 Santiago. 59-55 Santiago

Round 7

Santiago ducks a left. Santiago fires off a six punch combo including a hard right hand. Another head butt and the ref calls a pause. Rules it an accident. Santiago circling away. Double jab from Donaire. Left hook to the body from Donaire. Santiago’s left eye bloody. Right hand over the top by Donaire. Santiago much busier. 10-9 Santiago. 69-64 Santiago.

Round 8

Both fighters looking the worse for wear going into the 8th. Santiago cut, Donaire swollen. Big right from the busy Santiago. Donaire lands a hook to the jaw. Serious combo landed by Santiago. Uppercut from Santiago. They trade hooks. Big right for Santiago. Left hook by Santiago. He’s beating up Donaire. Donaire moves forward, pushing Santiago off. Double left hook by Santiago. 10-9 Santiago. 79-73 Santiago.

Round 9

Donaire has a lot of ground to make up. Donaire coming forward early. Santiago lands to the body. Overhand right lands for Donaire. Santiago ripping to the body. Santiago landing a nice combo, starts to the body, ends in a double jab. Overhand right from Santiago. Donaire lands a big right, follows with a wild left hook that misses. Santiago landing a lot of shots to end the round including a nice uppercut. 10-9 Santiago. 89-82 Santiago.

Round 10

Santiago firing jabs and circling away. Double jab for Santiago. Donaire trying to corner his man. Pumping jabs and throwing to the body. Overhand right lands for Santiago. Double jab for Santiago. Donaire looking for the big right, whiffs. Santiago lands a jab, follows with a big right. 10-9 Santiago. 99-91. Santiago.

Round 11

Santiago looks dominant. Throwing jabs to the face and body. Big left hook for Donaire. Follows with a right. Vicious right from Santiago. 1-2 from Santiago. Donaire trying to answer. They hug and mug. Overhand right and left hook from Santiago. Santiago pumping the jab. One jab from Donaire. Four punch combo from Santiago. 10-9 Santiago. 109-100 Santiago.

Round 12

This is it. Donaire pumping the jab. Santiago making him miss with hooks. Santiago lands to the body. Jab-right from Donaire. They clinch. Chopping right from Santiago. A minute left. Left hook from Santiago. Another clinch. Donaire has no answer. 10-9 Santiago. 119-109 Santiago. We should have a new bantamweight champ!

Official decision

Alexandro Santiago def. Nonito Donaire via unanimous decision (115-113, 116-112×2).

Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford is up next!

The Fight of the Century for the undisputed welterweight title is coming right up. Find out how you can stream Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford here.

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Nate Wilcox

Nate Wilcox is the founding editor of BloodyElbow.com. As such he has hired every editor and writer to work for the site. Wilcox’s writing for BE is known for its emphasis on MMA history, the evolution of fighting techniques and strong opinions. Wilcox developed the SBN MMA consensus rankings which were featured in USA Today from 2009 to 2011. Before founding BE, Wilcox was a political operative working for such figures as Senators John Kerry and Mark Warner and an early political blogger. He is the co-author of Netroots Rising, a history of the political blogosphere from 2003 to 2007. Wilcox also hosts the Let It Roll podcast on music history for the Pantheon Podcast Network.

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