Undefeated welterweight prospect Giovani Santillan (25-0, 15 KOs), who is co-promoted by Thompson Boxing and Top Rank, will face former world champion Antonio DeMarco (33-8-1, 24 KOs), on Tuesday (June 16) on ESPN. The 10-round bout will serve as the co-main event for Joshua Greer Jr. (22-1-1, 12 KOs) versus Mike Plania (23-1, 12 KOs).
Here is what Giovani Santillan had to say about fighting DeMarco:
“I am extremely focused going into this fight. Antonio DeMarco is the hardest fight of my career, and I want to be as prepared as possible. DeMarco is a true veteran with a lot of power. He has twice as many professional fights as me, so I know this is a major step up fight. I want to show the world that I am an elite fighter worthy of a top 15 ranking.
“A win against DeMarco will change my life. It will mean I would’ve won a fight against a former world champion on national television when hardly anything live is occurring. A lot of people are watching these fights, and I believe this will put me in contention to fight for a world title. I want to get a ranking in the top 15 of any of the major sanctioning body to be considered as a world title challenger, and defeating Antonio DeMarco will be a great step in that direction.”
I remember in the older days when DeMarco was a rising star in boxing. DeMarco was a busy puncher with respectable power. I was really expecting him to out hustle Edwin Valero and win, but boy, I was dead wrong in that prediction.
Not sure that a win over a shot DeMarco would prove too much.
Demarco won that fight !!!