Former WBO World Minimumweight Champion Masataka Taniguchi (Watanabe), who will challenge champion Rene Santiago (Puerto Rico) for the WBA & WBO World Light Flyweight titles in the main event of “TREASURE BOXING 12” at Korakuen Hall on April 3, held a public workout at the Watanabe Gym in Gotanda, Tokyo, on the 25th and spoke about his confidence.
世界2階級制覇に燃える谷口
The first thing that drew attention that day was the 32-year-old Taniguchi’s physical transformation. Sporting short, bleached-blonde hair and a dark tan from visiting tanning salons, he projected a lean and fierce image.
Taniguchi had a specific rationale for this: he believed that long hair makes a fighter look worse when hit—even if a punch doesn’t land cleanly—potentially influencing the judges’ perception. Furthermore, as he is naturally fair-skinned, his skin tends to redden even from punches that don’t hurt him, which he also feared might negatively impact the scoring. Consequently, he decided to “start with the visual presentation.”
While he only moved lightly for the media cameras that day, he had completed his final sparring session the previous day, totaling approximately 140 rounds against gym-mates such as Kyotaro Yoshida, signaling a smooth preparation. His trainer, Oguchi, remarked, “He has practiced more than at any other point in his life,” noting improvements in both his power and stamina.
小口トレーナーとのミット打ち
Santiago (33), the opponent, is a unified two-belt champion who seized the WBO title by defeating Shokichi Iwata and later added the WBA belt by beating Kyosuke Takami. After studying fight footage, Taniguchi expressed his confidence, saying, “I think [Iwata and Takami] spent 12 rounds feeling like something was off. In contrast, I want to fight a match where I make Rene Santiago feel for all 12 rounds that ‘things just aren’t going my way.'”
Taniguchi also expressed deep gratitude toward Trainer Oguchi and his surrounding staff for making this world title opportunity possible. A victory would mark his return as a world champion for the first time in three years and three months. When asked about his aspirations, Taniguchi said, “I will do my best to live up to everyone’s expectations.”
Santiago’s record stands at 15-4 (9 KOs), while Taniguchi holds a record of 21-5 (15 KOs). The bout will serve as the main event of “TREASURE BOXING 12,” promoted by Masayuki Ito (former WBO World Super Featherweight Champion), and will be streamed live on U-NEXT.
