Santisima Jr. upsets former IBF champion Oguni in Japan

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Filipino boxing prospect Alex Santisima Jr. delivered a massive upset after defeating former world champion Yukinori Oguni via an eighth-round technical knockout at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 16, 2026.

Entering the super bantamweight showdown as the heavy underdog, the 26-year-old pride of Masbate and Cebu silenced the doubters and took Oguni to school, relying on his hand speed and tremendous footwork to bag the biggest win of his pro boxing career so far.

Relentless, aggressive, and laser-focused, Santisima Jr. didn’t give Oguni any room to breathe, applying pressure from the get-go that put the more experienced fighter in deep trouble from the opening bell.

Santisima Jr. dictated the pace in Rounds 1 and 2 as he forced Oguni to fight on the back foot with a high-volume punching display.

What was impressive about Santisima Jr.’s opening strategy was his calculated aggression, picking his spots to throw haymakers while keeping himself in stable condition by throwing snappy jabs.

Just when Santisima Jr. thought Oguni would wait for his chance to throw a big right straight, the Japanese pugilist shifted tactics and focused on counterpunching, which slowed the young Filipino down in the middle rounds.

Santisima Jr. picked up where he left off at the start of the sixth round, punishing Oguni, who became looser with his offense but got careless at times when throwing right hooks.

After Oguni started to counterpunch better, Santisima Jr.’s adjustment was simple: throw the 1-2 jab combination, backpedal, and jump in again before the Japanese fighter could establish his defensive stance.

The surprising yet effective move paid dividends, especially in the seventh round when Oguni was visibly gassed in the final 30 seconds.

Santisima Jr.’s coronation was complete at the 1:47 mark of the eighth round when he unloaded a vicious right hand.

Seconds after absorbing the blow, Oguni could barely maintain his balance, forcing the referee to wave off the fight and declare the Filipino the winner.

With the win, Santisima Jr. finally ended Oguni’s undefeated streak against Filipino fighters, having previously beaten Marlon Tapales, Gedeon Amba, Eric Rapada, and Roli Gasca.

Santisima Jr. improved his professional record to 14 wins, eight knockouts, and two losses, while Oguni dropped to 24 wins, nine knockouts, five losses, and three draws.