Two-time world title challenger Danny “The Bronx Bomber” Santiago is hoping the third time’s the charm for him when he challenges World Boxing Association/International Boxing Association Light Heavyweight World Champion Beibut Shumenov, headlining the “Fire and Fury” pro boxing card, July 29 on the TeleFutura’s Solo Boxeo Tecate show, airing live from South Point Hotel Casino in Las Vegas.
“Fire& Fury” is being promoted by KZ Event Productions, which is owned and operated by the Shumenov brothers, Beibut and Chingis, in Las Vegas. Shumenov-Santiago is somewhat of a boxing anomaly, featuring a pair of college graduates in a world title fight.
WBA #15 ranked Santiago (31-4-1, 19 KOs), fighting out of Ocala, Florida, is a two-time world title challenger. His signature victory was a fourth-round technical knockout of 30-1 Elvir Muriqi. Santiago was also featured on the third season of The Contender reality television series.
The Bronx native who lives in Ocala (FL) has had two proposed fights fall out, including one against Roy Jones, Jr. “I promised myself and my family that I would continue boxing as long as I still enjoyed it,” the University of South Florida graduate (business & accounting major) explained. “I still do. I opened a business – a gym around boxing (Central Florida Boxing – www.centralfloridaboxing.com) –to have something to fall back on when I retire from boxing. It’s turned out be a great thing. I had those two fights fall through but things like that happen when you’re self-promoted. But I stayed in my gym, working hard, and now I’m blessed to have this opportunity.”
Shumenov (11-1, 7 KOs), the 2004 Kazakhstan Olympian who is now fighting out of Las Vegas, set a light heavyweight record for capturing a world title in the fewest career fights, 10, when (Jan. 10, 2010) he won a 12-round decision againstGabriel Campillo in Las Vegas. Shumenov has successfully defended his WBA/IBA titles twice against No. 1 mandatory challenger Viacheslav Uzelkov (UDEC12) and three-time world champion William Joppy (KO6) last January in Shymkent, Kazakhstan. In his 11 pro fights, Beibut has defeated four world champions (Campillo, Joppy, Byron Mitchell and Montell Griffin) and two world title challengers (Uzelkov and Epifanio Mendoza).
“I don’t know Beibut but he’s obviously a unique individual having already accomplished what he has in 11 pro fights,” Santiago remarked. “But this is a business and I will do what I have to do in the ring against him. Boxing is what we’ve both chosen to do. Fighting is easy; it’s everything else in this business that’s difficult. Dealing with his people, though, I can tell you, they’re as professional as any I’ve ever worked with in boxing. It may be surprising for me to say this but, they’re very honest, first-class people. Everything they’ve said has actually happened.”
Santiago has more professional ring experience than Shumenov by 10 years, 24 fights and 97 rounds. Danny has lost two world light heavyweight title fights, both in 2007, to Zsolt Erdei (WBO) and Antonio Tarver (IBO).
“I don’t really have very much of an experience advantage over him,” Danny added.”Don’t look past his Olympics experience, on the grandest stage, fighting the best in the world. I may have more pro fights than him but he’s fought the same class of fighters, pro and Olympians, as I have.
“I’m not trying to butter him up but Shumenov is very exciting, smart, and strong. And just look at him – he’s a ‘brick-house!’ I need to be in the best shape of my life for this fight to fulfill the dream I had as a kid that I now have as a grown adult (win a world title).”
