René Manuel Santiago García

René Manuel Santiago García (nicknamed “Chulo” or “El Chulo”) is a Puerto Rican orthodox light‑flyweight who has risen through regional ranks to become a recognised world champion. Standing 160 cm with a 159 cm reach, Santiago fights out of Humacao, Puerto Rico, and his recorded professional career stretches from late 2014 through the present. His pro ledger stands at 16–4–0 with nine stoppage victories. Santiago’s earliest documented bout is a four‑round unanimous decision win over Gustavo Ortiz in Humacao on November 22, 2014. He compiled a string of early stoppage wins across Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, but his progress included setbacks: a unanimous decision loss to Waldemar Pagán in Cidra (January 2016) and another UD defeat to Geovani García Barragán in Mexico City (December 2018). Through those years Santiago established himself as a gritty regional fighter with developing power, shown by multiple early‑round TKOs and KOs on his record. Beginning in 2020 Santiago moved into WBO‑sanctioned regional level competition, capturing the vacant WBO Latino light‑flyweight title by unanimous decision over Israel Vazquez on January 31, 2020. After additional regional and international outings — including a DQ victory for the vacant WBO Latino belt in Santo Domingo (December 2022) and a ninth‑round TKO in Panama (April 2023) — he stepped into world‑level contention. October 27, 2023 marked a breakthrough when Santiago stopped Kevin Vivas to win the vacant WBO Interim light‑flyweight title in Managua. Santiago tested himself against the WBO world class in March 2024, losing a 12‑round decision to Jonathan González in San Juan in a WBO world title fight in which González retained. Santiago regrouped, winning the vacant WBO International light‑flyweight title in his native Humacao on October 30, 2024, then converted that momentum into a world title triumph the following spring. On March 13, 2025 he defeated Shokichi Iwata by unanimous decision at Ryōgoku Kokugikan to be recognised by the WBO as its junior‑flyweight (light‑flyweight) world champion. Santiago added further distinction on December 17, 2025 when he was awarded a split‑decision win over Kyosuke Takami; the bout is listed as a WBA light‑flyweight title win while he retained his WBO championship. He successfully defended both WBA and WBO honours with a 12‑round unanimous decision over Masataka Taniguchi in Tokyo on April 3, 2026. Administrative action by the WBA later designated Santiago “Champion in Recess” for the WBA (regular) light‑flyweight title on July 28, 2026; sources report the WBA status as contested and the regular title was subsequently filled by another fighter. Santiago remains active in the light‑flyweight division and is recognised by the WBO as its junior‑flyweight world champion. His record is 16–4–0 with nine stoppage victories.