René 'El Chulo' Santiago, the Puerto Rican world champion, will defend his 108-pound titles from the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and the World Boxing Association (WBA) against Japanese boxer Daiya Kira in September. Santiago, from Humacao, has a record of 16-4 with nine knockouts and has built a successful streak in Japan. Kira, with a record of 4-0 and three quick victories, is a rising contender in the division and ranks first in the WBA classification.
The WBA ordered the mandatory fight between Santiago and Kira in May, and after an initial 30-day negotiation period and a 30-day extension, the teams agreed to the match. Santiago won the WBO championship in March 2025 by defeating Shokichi Iwata in Tokyo and unified the 108-pound titles by defeating Kyosuke Takami in December 2025. His most recent title defense was on April 3, when he defeated Masataka Taniguchi by unanimous decision in Tokyo.
The exact date and location of the fight against Kira have not been announced.