Puerto Rican standout René “El Chulo” Santiago further cemented his reputation as a Japanese spoiler, successfully defending his unified WBA and WBO light flyweight world titles with a unanimous decision victory over former world champion Masataka Taniguchi. The high-level tactical battle took place Friday, April 3, at Tokyo’s iconic Korakuen Hall, marking Santiago’s third consecutive win on Japanese soil.

The bout unfolded in two distinct phases. In the early rounds, Taniguchi used his southpaw stance and superior hand speed to trouble the champion, landing sharp combinations that gave him a slight edge on the scorecards. However, the turning point came in the fifth round, when Santiago landed a perfectly timed counter right hook that sent the Japanese fighter to the canvas. Though Taniguchi rose quickly, the knockdown dramatically shifted the momentum and psychology of the fight.

From that moment on, “El Chulo” took full control. Showcasing ring IQ and composure, the Humacao native relied on lateral movement and a tight defensive shell to neutralize the challenger’s offense. In the championship rounds, Santiago displayed excellent conditioning, maintaining his punch output while avoiding the kind of risky exchanges Taniguchi desperately needed to turn the tide.

After twelve rounds, the judges confirmed Santiago’s command with scores of 117-110, 116-111, and 114-113, all in favor of the defending champion.

With the victory, Santiago improves to 16-4 with 9 knockouts and joins fellow standouts like Oscar Collazo and Xander Zayas as part of the new wave of Puerto Rican fighters holding unified world titles.