- What: WBC bantamweight title fight
- Who: Nonito Donaire vs. Alexandro Santiago
- Date: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Time: 9 p.m. ET
- Location: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV
- How to Watch: Showtime PPV
This weekend’s Showtime pay-per-view boxing card is packed with talent and important fights. In the main event, the long-awaited matchup between Terence “Bud” Crawford and Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. will determine the undisputed welterweight world champion. Before that, Isaac Cruz and Giovanni Cabrera face off in a 12-round WBA lightweight title eliminator. Also on the card is a scrap between Nonito Donaire and Alexandro Santiago for the vacant WBC bantamweight crown. Here is some background on the fighters before we discuss, in detail, the betting breakdown of the Spence vs. Crawford fight card.
Nonito Donaire (42-7 with 28 knockouts) is a three-time bantamweight titleholder. The 40-year-old is currently the No. 3 rated fighter at 118 pounds, according to The Ring. With a win over Santiago, Donaire will break his own record as the oldest fighter to win a bantamweight crown. Donaire claimed his third title in 2021 when he knocked out Nordine Oubaali to win the WBC crown. The Filipino American lost his title in his most recent outing, a June 2022 TKO setback to Naoya Inoue, who also defeated Donaire in 2019 by decision.
Alexandro Santiago (27-3-5, with 14 KOs) has never fought for a major title. The 27-year-old Mexican fighter is rated at No. 5 by The Ring. Santiago is on a three-fight winning streak, with his most recent bout being a stoppage win over Antonio Nieves in October.
Before we look at the bantamweight title fight between Nonito Donaire and Alexandro Santiago, check out the best boxing betting sites and our betting picks for the Crawford vs. Spence welterweight title fight.
Nonito Donaire vs. Alexandro Santiago betting picks
| To Win Vacant WBC Bantamweight Title |  |
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 |
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| Nonito Donaire | -155 | -165 | -155 | -155 | -169 |
| Alexandro Santiago | +125 | +125 | +125 | +125 | +122 |
Nonito Donaire vs. Alexandro Santiago betting breakdown
Former champ Nonito Donaire might not be a household name, but the veteran boxer, who went 30-0 between 2001 and 2012, has been fighting at the sport’s top level for years. He claimed IBF and IBO titles in 2007 and became the WBC and WBO champ in 2011. While Donaire does not hold gold right now, his past 11 fights, dating back to his 2015 scrap with Cesar Juarez, have all been for major titles. This fight is just another day at the office for the 40-year-old. The same cannot be said of his younger and less experienced opponent, Alexandro Santiago, who has not fought for a major belt, and who turned pro in 2012.
Donaire has one of the highest fight IQs in the game, and despite his age, he remains fast and powerful. Donaire’s left hook is deadly, and he is one of the best counter-punchers in the lower weights.
Santiago needs to overcome some significant physical deficits in this matchup. He is 4.5 inches shorter than Donaire and gives up three inches in reach. It will be interesting to see how he plans to get inside on his more experienced and powerful foe. If Santiago misjudges things or gets too aggressive, Donaire will likely pick up his timing and tendencies and score with powerful counters.
Nonito Donaire vs. Alexandro Santiago: Who has the edge
With Donaire’s age and the fact that he is coming off a knockout loss will raise questions ahead of Saturday’s matchup against the much younger Santiago. Those concerns are legitimate, but the fact remains that the only man who has defeated him in the past five years is Naoya Inoue, who is the No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter in boxing, according to The Ring.
Donaire’s smarts, power, and ability to counter and Santiago’s lack of high-profile fight experience all combine to give the three-time bantamweight champ the edge in this fight.
Best Bets for Nonito Donaire vs. Alexandro Santiago
The betting odds are relatively close in this fight, and with that, there is betting value in picking the more experienced Donaire to win. However, there are better betting picks for this fight. Look for Donaire’s experience and power to exploit the nerves and aggression of Santiago in this matchup. The betting pick is Donaire to win via knockout in the first half of the WBC bantamweight title fight.
Best bet for Nonito Donaire vs. Alexandro Santiago: Pick Donaire to beat Santiago via knockout.
See below the best sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
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