Thompson Boxing Promotions promotes its first show in San Diego with an action-packed “Path to Glory SD Style” line up highlighted by two of the city’s most popular boxers: undefeated junior welterweight prospect Giovani Santillan (13-0, 7 KOs) and the veteran super bantamweight Christopher Martin (27-3-3, 9 KOs). The seven-bout card takes place on Saturday, Aug. 16, from the Harley Davidson San Diego, the largest Harley Davidson dealership in the U.S.
Santillan, starring in his first main event and fifth straight 8-round fight, will battle Osenohan Vazquez (7-1-1, 2 KOs) of Jersey City, NJ. Martin, who was scheduled to face Efrain Esquivias in July before Esquivias pulled out due to a fight week illness, is fighting the well experienced and hard-punching Giovanni Caro (24-14-4, 19 KOs) of Mexico City in the 8-round co-main event.
Thompson Boxing Promotions checked in on Santillan’s training camp to get his thoughts on fighting for his first regional title, his opponent, and the sacrifices required of young boxers.
What does it mean to fight in front of your hometown fans…
“I’m excited to showcase my skills to everyone in the San Diego area that has supported me,” Santillan said. “There are a lot of people that have been behind me since the beginning, but most haven’t had a chance to come watch me live. This is a really special opportunity for me to show everyone how much I’ve grown and matured.”
On headlining your first show…
“We’ve been working hard to get to this point, where I’m capable of carrying a show,” Santillan said. “Even though I’m young, I feel as if I’m ahead of the curve. My promoter, Thompson Boxing, has done a great job of keeping me active through these early developmental years.”
What can you say about your sparring sessions leading up to this point…
“One of my main sparring partners is Aron Martinez. He’s a big welterweight with a lot of experience so our sessions have been real competitive. Martinez is the type of boxer we need in our training camp because he knows how to apply pressure without being reckless. At first, I had to make some adjustments on the fly because he’s a veteran. Overall, the sessions are always intense and super competitive, but I manage to work the inside pretty well.”
On his opponent Osenohan Vazquez…
“Vazquez likes to stick to the basics,” Santillan continued. “That doesn’t make him an average fighter, but one that knows how to rely on his strengths. He doesn’t make too many mistakes, and we know he favors the left hook and right hand. So when I shadow box, or hit the pads, we are working to take those punches away from him. We’ve set up some nice counters.”
On fighting for the Junior Welterweight NABF Jr. Title…
“Winning this title would certainly improve the appearance of my resume, but I don’t think there is any more pressure because of it. Every fight is tough and that’s how I look at it. We prepare the same way, with the same passion and effort. I never take anything for granted and I never underestimate any opponent.”
On the sacrifices required of young boxers…
“We travel to Los Angeles three times a week because sometimes it’s tough to find sparring in San Diego. On some occasions, it can take three hours to get there depending on traffic, but it’s worth it. You have to make sacrifices in any sport, and boxing is no different. It’s just one of those things that you have to do in order to prepare well for a fight. Boxers have been driving long distances to find sparring partners for a long time.”
