# Danny Santiago

Danny Santiago (born February 21, 1973) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1997 to 2016. He challenged three times for a light heavyweight world title: the WBO title in January 2007, the IBO title in December 2007, and the WBA/IBA titles in 2011.

## Amateur career

Santiago had a strong amateur career, including the following highlights:
* 1995 New York City daily news Golden gloves champion
* 1995 empire state champion
* 1995 metro champion
* 1994 Florida golden glove champion
* 1994 Sunshine state champion
* 1995 Northeastern Regional Champion (178 Lbs.)
* 1996 Southeastern Regional Champion (178 Lbs.)
* 1996 Representative of Florida Bronze Medalists at 178Lbs, National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions in Denver, Colorado
* 1996 International competition U.S.A. vs. Sweden representative of U.S.A. Silver Medalists at 178Lbs

## Professional career

In 1997, Danny made his professional debut with a first round knockout of Michael Watkins. Between 1997 and 2002, Danny built a record of 22-0 and earned a shot at the WBA Fedelatin Light Heavyweight Title, where he suffered his first loss against Rocky Torres. By 2004, Danny defeated the highly ranked Elvir Muriqi in Madison Square Gardens with a devastating first round knockout.
Continually rated as a top light heavy-weight, Danny has faced some of best boxers of this millennium in world title fights, including: Zsolt Erdei (WBO World Light Heavyweight Champion and WBC Cruiserweight Champion), Antonio Tarver, (WBC, WBA, IBF, and The Ring Light Heavyweight Champion and IBO World Light Heavyweight Champion), Beibut Shumenov (WBA World Light Heavyweight Champion and IBA Light Heavyweight Champion), and Danny Green (WBA Super Middleweight Champion and Light Heavyweight World Champion and IBO World Cruiserweight Champion).
In 2010, Santiago was scheduled to fight Roy Jones, Jr, but the fight was cancelled due to an injury to Jones.
Santiago was a contestant on ESPN’s very popular television series The Contender in 2007. Santiago owned and operated a successful boxing gym which served as a popular training ground world champions, including Tavoris Cloud, Ricardo Mayorga, and Jermain Taylor.
After his retirement from the ring, Santiago relocated to Colombia where he is a successful trainer and promoter.
In 2021, Santiago was inducted into the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame.

## Professional boxing record

| 42 fights | 34 wins | 7 losses |
| By knockout | 20 | 7 |
| By decision | 14 | 0 |
| Draws | 1 | 1 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 42 | Win | 34–7–1 | Galen Brown | TKO | 3 (6), 2:42 | Feb 13, 2016 | SE Livestock Pavilion, Ocala, Florida, U.S. | |
| 41 | Loss | 33–7–1 | Victor Emilio Ramírez | TKO | 4 (10), 1:40 | Jan 31, 2014 | Piso de los Deportes, Buenos Aires, Argentina | For IBF Latino cruiserweight title |
| 40 | Win | 33–6–1 | Rubin Williams | UD | 8 | Nov 22, 2013 | SE Livestock Pavilion, Ocala, Florida, U.S. | |
| 39 | Win | 32–6–1 | Miguel Hernandez | UD | 8 | Aug 31, 2013 | The Mela Room, Orlando, Florida, U.S. | |
| 38 | Loss | 31–6–1 | Danny Green | TKO | 5 (10), 2:47 | Jul 25, 2012 | Challenge Stadium, Perth, Australia | |
| 37 | Loss | 31–5–1 | Beibut Shumenov | TKO | 9 (12), 0:46 | Jul 29, 2011 | South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa, Enterprise, Nevada, U.S. | For WBA and IBA light heavyweight titles |
| 36 | Win | 31–4–1 | Billy Bailey | MD | 8 | May 21, 2010 | DoubleTree Westshore Hotel, Tampa, Florida, U.S. | |
| 35 | Win | 30–4–1 | Paul Jennette | UD | 8 | May 16, 2009 | SE Livestock Pavilion, Ocala, Florida, U.S. | |
| 34 | Loss | 29–4–1 | Antonio Tarver | TKO | 4 (12), 2:53 | Dec 1, 2007 | Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, U.S. | For IBO light heavyweight title |
| 33 | Loss | 29–3–1 | Zsolt Erdei | TKO | 8 (12), 1:55 | Jan 27, 2007 | Burg-Wächter Castello, Düsseldorf, Germany | For WBO light heavyweight title |
| 32 | Win | 29–2–1 | Marlon Hayes | UD | 8 | Dec 14, 2006 | Gulfstream Park, Hallandale, Florida, U.S. | |
| 31 | Win | 28–2–1 | Mike Bonislawski | TKO | 1 (8), 2:20 | Jun 29, 2006 | American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida, U.S. | |
| 30 | Draw | 27–2–1 | Rayco Saunders | PTS | 6 | Feb 10, 2006 | Bank United Center, Coral Gables, Florida, U.S. | |
| 29 | Win | 27–2 | Rico Cason | TKO | 8 (12) | Aug 12, 2005 | SE Livestock Pavilion, Ocala, Florida, U.S. | Won WBC Mundo Hispano light heavyweight title |
| 28 | Win | 26–2 | Ronald Boddie | UD | 8 | Dec 16, 2004 | Days Inn, Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| 27 | Win | 25–2 | James Brock | KO | 1 (8), 1:28 | Dec 4, 2004 | Barton Coliseum, Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. | |
| 26 | Win | 24–2 | Elvir Muriqi | TKO | 4 (10), 2:12 | Oct 2, 2004 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| 25 | Win | 23–2 | Robert Muhammad | TKO | 5 (8) | Mar 14, 2003 | Arena Boxing Gym, Saint Petersburg, Florida, U.S. | |
| 24 | Loss | 22–2 | Orlando Rivera | TKO | 9 (10), 1:36 | Aug 29, 2002 | Arena Boxing Gym, Saint Petersburg, Florida, U.S. | |
| 23 | Loss | 22–1 | Rocky Torres | TKO | 11 (12), 1:49 | May 11, 2002 | Roberto Clemente Coliseum, San Juan, Puerto Rico | For vacant WBA Fedelatin light heavyweight title |
| 22 | Win | 22–0 | Tyrus Armstead | UD | 10 | Mar 30, 2002 | Sovereign Center, Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| 21 | Win | 21–0 | Antonio Garcia | TKO | 1 (8), 1:35 | Jun 8, 2001 | Jai Alai Fronton, Miami, Florida, U.S. | |
| 20 | Win | 20–0 | Gerald Coleman | TKO | 7 (8) | Dec 15, 2000 | War Memorial Auditorium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. | |
| 19 | Win | 19–0 | Roosevelt Booth | TKO | 2 (8), 1:50 | Aug 18, 2000 | SE Livestock Pavilion, Ocala, Florida, U.S. | |
| 18 | Win | 18–0 | David McCluskey | TKO | 2 (4), 1:43 | Jun 24, 2000 | Covington, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| 17 | Win | 17–0 | Anthony Spain | TKO | 10 (12), 2:20 | May 20, 2000 | SE Livestock Pavilion, Ocala, Florida, U.S. | Won WBA–NBA Continental Americas light heavyweight title |
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | Andre Sherrod | TKO | 5 (6), 0:40 | Apr 15, 2000 | Pamlico High School, Bayboro, North Carolina, U.S. | |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | Tyrone Wallace | TKO | 3 | Oct 28, 1999 | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | James Stokes | KO | 3 (8), 2:09 | Oct 9, 1999 | SE Livestock Pavilion, Ocala, Florida, U.S. | |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Shannon Miller | UD | 6 | Jun 18, 1999 | SE Livestock Pavilion, Ocala, Florida, U.S. | |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Johnny Walker | TKO | 1 | May 15, 1999 | Augusta, Georgia, U.S. | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Gregg Floyd | KO | 2 (6), 1:18 | Apr 17, 1999 | Civic Center, Kissimmee, Florida, U.S. | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Mack Willis | PTS | 6 | Mar 19, 1999 | SE Livestock Pavilion, Ocala, Florida, U.S. | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Larry McFadden | KO | 1 | Feb 27, 1999 | Fort Gordon, Augusta, Georgia, U.S. | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Eric Rhinehart | TKO | 2 | Jan 14, 1999 | Virginia, U.S. | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Anthony DeBardaladin | UD | 4 | Nov 20, 1998 | SE Livestock Pavilion, Ocala, Florida, U.S. | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Ralph Monday | UD | 4 | Aug 22, 1998 | Orange County Fairgrounds, Orlando, Florida, U.S. | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Forrest McFarland | UD | 4 | Nov 7, 1998 | Cedar Beach Park, Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Calvin Smith | TKO | 2 (4), 0:44 | May 6, 1998 | Civic Center, Kissimmee, Florida, U.S. | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Cleveland Issacs | UD | 4 | Feb 13, 1998 | The Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | James Mullins | UD | 4 | Nov 25, 1997 | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Michael Watkins | TKO | 1 (5), 0:47 | Jun 9, 1997 | Marriott Hotel, Orlando, Florida, U.S. | |

## Trainer

Danny has been training fighters beginning with his Ocala gym that opened in 1991 and as a trainer since 2010. In 2017 He then moved to Tulua, Colombia where he opened boxeo y Mas Gym. He has trained multiple highly ranked fighters. He is the trainer for former WBC fecabox champion and current WBA N.A.B.A title holder Alexander Castro. Danny now has 2 gyms in Colombia. The original Boxeo Y Mas in Tulua, and his 2nd Boxeo Y Mas gym in Santa Marta, Colombia where he has an exclusive private training camp with all the amenities that athletes need to focus on becoming world champions. He currently is training some of Colombia's top boxing talent.