Southpaw Taniguchi began the fight with an effective blend of offense and movement, but Santiago’s reactions proved equally sharp. From the opening round, the two engaged in a riveting exchange. While Taniguchi applied sharp, powerful pressure from a low center of gravity, Santiago’s counters carried a dangerous sense of timing.

The first major turning point arrived in the fifth round. After evading a hook from Taniguchi, Santiago landed a counter right hook that sent the challenger spinning to the canvas for a knockdown. Although Taniguchi rose quickly and did not appear significantly hindered by the damage, the moment clearly bolstered Santiago’s confidence. As Taniguchi increased his footwork in an attempt to recover, Santiago utilized lateral movement to effortlessly slip away and return fire.

In the eighth, Taniguchi skillfully pursued the champion and landed a straight left. Santiago responded immediately with a flurry of three or four punches in a show of competitive fire. Even as the bout entered the late stages, the champion’s agility remained remarkable. Taniguchi ramped up his aggression in the tenth, initiating with a body rush before targeting the head, but the versatile Santiago pivoted away while firing straight shots with both hands. While Taniguchi’s left found its mark at times, he struggled to land further clean follow-ups.

Taniguchi pushed his offense even harder in the final round. However, Santiago utilized the full width of the ring, maintaining his movement and output until the final bell. The judges scored the bout 114–113, 116–111, and 117–110 for the winner in the red corner, Santiago. Despite Taniguchi’s excellent conditioning, he was ultimately outboxed by the champion. “I want to commend Taniguchi for his incredibly brave fight,” Santiago said. Regarding his future, he noted he would “take a short rest” but expressed a desire to “fight in Japan again.” For Taniguchi, the loss marks a failed bid to become a two-division champion following his previous reign as the WBO minimumweight titleholder.

そろって計量を合格した谷口㊧と王者サンティアゴ　photo/Naoki Fukuda

“The training camp was exceptionally grueling this time,” Taniguchi remarked. While noting the added physical strain on his weight cut, he maintained that his overall conditioning is excellent, adding, “The recovery process from this point forward is crucial.” Having dedicated himself to the task of defeating Santiago, Taniguchi appeared to have thoroughly simulated various scenarios for tomorrow’s contest. “I believe it will be a truly great fight,” he said.

こちらも注目！小國㊧－タパレス　photo/Naoki Fukuda

The co-main event, a 10-round bout between Marlon Tapales (Philippines) and Yukinori Oguni (Kadoebi Jewel), features a clash of former world champions. During the weigh-in, Tapales initially exceeded the 123.5-pound limit by 30 grams; however, the Kadoebi camp accepted the result as a negligible margin of error. Oguni comfortably cleared the scales at 56.0 kg.

Tapales explained that although he had prepared to hit the target weight, the discrepancy likely arose from a difference in scales. While surprised by the reading, he remained composed, stating, “If I had been ordered to lose those [30 grams], I was prepared to do so.”

Oguni, for his part, expressed a singular focus on the result: “I want to win, regardless of how I achieve it.” With his sights set firmly on returning to the world stage, Tapales’ current rankings (including IBF No. 4) serve as a significant incentive. “My motivation is extremely high,” Oguni added.

【ＰＲ】4/3（Fri）17:45〜 [TREASURE BOXING PROMOTION 12]【U-NEXT】

初対面した谷口㊧とサンティアゴ

タパレスと小國㊨　photo/Naoki Fukuda

Also in attendance were two former world super-bantamweight champions, Marlon Tapales (Philippines) and Yukinori Oguni (Kadoebi Jewel), who meet in the co-main event. “Oguni is a good boxer. I will do my best to win,” Tapales stated, while Oguni responded, “I have devised various strategies and intend to execute them the day after tomorrow.” A profound tactical battle between the two veterans is anticipated. Former world champion and Kadoebi Jewel Gym Chairman Yusuke Kobori described Oguni’s situation as being “on the edge,” while adding with conviction, “I want him to win and demonstrate the Kadoebi spirit.”

サンドバッグを叩くサンティアゴ

This is Santiago’s third consecutive trip to Japan. Having seized the WBO title from Shokichi Iwata and subsequently the WBA title from Kyosuke Takami, he gives the impression of growing more confident as a champion with each fight. At today’s press conference, when addressed with Taniguchi’s previous remark that “I am the only Japanese fighter who can beat Santiago,” the champion responded with an air of composure, saying, “That’s fine,” and even adding, “I wish him success.” Despite the pleasantries, he did not forget to add, “The stronger man should win.”

Regarding the fight itself, the champion stated, “I will build my strategy based on my opponent’s approach. I want to utilize my cleverness and wealth of experience.” With Taniguchi’s side surely having formulated a solid counter-plan, the tactical exchange between the two in the ring will be highly anticipated.

Following the press conference, he demonstrated rope skipping, shadowboxing, heavy bag work, and speed bag drills. While it was only light movement as per usual, Taniguchi’s trainer, Tadahiro Oguchi, observed his physical conditioning—noting the development in his lower body—and remarked, “He has built himself up well.” Trainer Oguchi added, “(Seeing Santiago) has flipped my switch again.” Santiago, who reportedly conducted extensive sparring with minimumweight champion Oscar Collazo in Puerto Rico, declared he is in peak condition, stating he is “100 percent ready” and seemingly eager for fight day.

The match will be streamed live on U-NEXT.

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.

Taniguchi (21-5, 15 KOs) is seeking to become a two-division world champion three years after losing his WBO Minimumweight title to Melvin Jerusalem. Since moving up to the 108-pound limit, Taniguchi suffered a narrow defeat in an IBF title eliminator against current champion Thanongsak Simsri, but rebounded in August last year by defeating Hyuga Inoue to claim the Japanese and OPBF titles.

“Even if it’s not a knockout, I just need to be better than Santiago for the 36 minutes of the fight,” Taniguchi stated confidently. “He is clever, knows how to navigate 12 rounds and pick up points. Looking at his fights with [Shokichi] Iwata and [Kyosuke] Takami, he might be the type of fighter Japanese boxers find most difficult to handle. However, looking at it objectively, I believe I am the only Japanese fighter currently capable of beating him.”

His trainer, Tadahiro Oguchi, noted that they are undergoing rigorous training to add more physical strength to Taniguchi’s technical base. Santiago enters the bout as a formidable champion, having previously defeated Teiken Gym’s Iwata and Takami to secure his titles.

Super Bantamweight 10-Rounder: Oguni vs. Tapales

The co-main event features a high-stakes 10-round clash between veteran former world champion Yukinori Oguni(Kadoebi-Jewel) and former unified champion Marlon Tapales (Philippines). Tapales, who remains highly ranked after his undisputed title fight against Naoya Inoue, represents a significant hurdle for Oguni’s ambitions of returning to world title contention.

“I’ve been training for a southpaw, so the condition is no problem,” Oguni said. Regarding the tactical matchup, he added with his signature dry wit: “I have the height advantage, but that’s the only thing I’m winning in. The key will be the distance; I want to see how far away I can fight. I certainly don’t want to trade punches.”

Treasure Boxing Promotions 11: Takesako and Sakai to Contest Vacant Japanese Middleweight Title

The press conference also confirmed the lineup for Treasure Boxing Promotions 11, set for March 12 at Korakuen Hall.

The main event will see former champion Kazuto Takesako (World Sports) face Mikio Sakai (Kadoebi-Jewel) for the vacant Japanese Middleweight title, recently relinquished by Riku Kunimoto. Takesako (18-3-1, 15 KOs) earned this opportunity by defeating Charlie Hosokawa in an eliminator. Sakai (6-5-1), meanwhile, looks to make it “third time lucky” after falling short in two previous title challenges against Kunimoto.

The undercard features two OPBF Female titles (Light Flyweight and Flyweight), along with 8-round bouts for Katsuya Fukui (Teiken) and Issei Ochiai (Ceres) against Filipino opposition.