Rene Santiago
Division: juniorFlyweight
Nationality: Puerto Rico
Hometown: Humacao, Puerto Rico
Birth Date: 1992-04-10
Height: 5.3 cm
Reach: 62.5 cm
Stance: orthodox
Professional Record
14
Wins
(9 by KO)4
Losses
(0 by KO)0
Draws
18
Total Fights
Biography
René Manuel Santiago García (born April 10, 1992, in Humacao, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican professional boxer and the reigning WBO light-flyweight champion. Known by his nickname “El Chulo”, Santiago has built a reputation as a determined and heavy-handed fighter, earning most of his victories inside the distance.
Santiago turned professional in 2014 and developed steadily on the regional circuit. After setbacks early in his career, he rebuilt momentum with strong performances that earned him the WBO Latino light-flyweight title in 2019 and later the WBO interim light-flyweight crown in 2023 with a knockout win over Kevin Vivas. Although he suffered a defeat to Jonathan González in his first attempt at a world championship in March 2024, Santiago rebounded quickly, showcasing his resilience and perseverance.
His breakthrough came on March 13, 2025, when he traveled to Tokyo and outpointed defending champion Shokichi Iwata at the historic Ryōgoku Kokugikan, capturing the WBO light-flyweight title by unanimous decision.
Fight History
03/13/25 vs. Shokichi Iwata, W-UD, 12/12
10/30/24 vs. Ricardo Astuvilca, W-UD, 10/10
03/02/24 vs. Jonathan Gonzalez, L-UD, 12/12
10/27/23 vs. Kevin Vivas, W-KO, 12/12
04/14/23 vs. Carlos Ortega, W-TKO, 9/10
12/16/22 vs. Gerardo Zapata, W-DQ, 2/10
04/08/22 vs. Yudel Reyes, L-UD, 10/10
11/07/21 vs. Jose Calderon, W-TKO, 2/10
01/31/20 vs. Israel Vazquez, W-UD, 10/10
11/23/19 vs. Juan Gabriel Guzman Pichardo, W-TKO, 1/10
12/07/18 vs. Geovani Garcia Barragan, L-UD, 6/6
08/25/18 vs. Jesus Miguel Martinez Castillo, W-TKO, 2/6
07/01/18 vs. Starlin Reyes Sierra, W-KO, 1/4
01/30/16 vs. Waldemar Pagan, L-UD, 6/6
08/22/15 vs. Alberto Medina Maldonado, W-TKO, 2/4
05/31/15 vs. Alexis Diaz, W-TKO, 3/4
04/25/15 vs. Luis Diaz, W-TKO, 2/4
11/22/14 vs. Gustavo Ortiz, W-UD, 4/4
Related News
Gonzalez-Santiago title fight added to Serrano-Meinke undercard in San Juan
January 19, 2024
Read More
