Yafai vs Santomauro Prediction: Pressure on Yafai To Win

Galal Yafai looks to continue the impressive start to his professional career on the undercard of the Rodriguez vs Edwards world title fight this weekend.

Coming into the fight with an unbeaten record and a big reputation, the pressure is once again on the British star.

We’ve got all the news ahead of the fight to explain our Yafai vs Santomauro prediction, which has one massive favorite. 

Yafai has said himself in the build up that people don’t just expect him to win but also put on a big performance, so all the pressure is on his shoulders. 

Yafai vs Santomauro Prediction

After an extensive amateur career, Yafai is on just his sixth professional fight but much is expected of the 31-year-old.

He has raced through the beginning of his career without too many problems and that explains our Galal Yafai vs Rocco Santomauro prediction. 

Certainly the American will have to overcome massive odds against him in order to find a shock win on Saturday night.

He may have only lost twice in his career to date but Santomauro may find the level of competition too much in his 25th professional fight.

Galal Yafai preview

Galal is the youngest of the three boxing Yafai brothers, with Kal having been WBA world champion at super flyweight and Gamal having held the European title at super-bantamweight. 

Both have retired in recent years, leaving Galal as the only active boxer in the family, with huge potential to follow his eldest brother as a world champion.

His record speaks for itself already and it will explain our Yafai vs Santomauro prediction for his latest bout.

He competed in the Olympics in Japan in 2021 and won the gold medal at flyweight, adding to the gold he’d won at the Commonwealth Games in 2018.

The southpaw turned pro after the Tokyo games, making his debut in 2022, and won the WBC Intercontinental Flyweight title in his first ever paid fight, defeating Carlos Vado Bautista with a fifth round stoppage.

Since then he’s rattled off four more wins over the past 21 months, with three of those coming inside the distance.

A gruesome looking blister in the fight against Gohan Rodriguez Garcia may have been part of the reason he required a split decision from the judges on the only occasion Yafai has been taken the distance. 

Despite his penchant for stoppages, and the power he’s shown previously, Yafai does tend to be patient and fight behind a tight guard. 

He is used to fighting on the big stage, having been on the undercard of several massive fights already and it’s the same again on Saturday night.

Yafai won’t be overawed by the occasion or being heavy favorite, it’s just what he’s expects going into every fight.

Rocco Santomauro Preview

Not too much can be expected from the underdog in our Galal Yafai vs Rocco Santomauro prediction, with the odds showing just how unlikely he is to win.

At 36-years-old the ‘So Cal Kid’ hasn’t exactly got a large body of work behind him to suggest that he can come out on top.

The American has fought 24 times during his 14 year professional career, although he has only tasted defeat on two occasions.

His first loss came to Oscar de la Hoya’s cousin Diego de la Hoya back in 2016, when he was stopped in the seventh round.

💬 "I can't just win… I have to look good!" – @galal_yafai#YafaiSantomauro #RodriguezEdwards pic.twitter.com/P5BYA17JXe

— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) December 13, 2023

He followed that up with nine wins in his next nine fights, although none of the bouts was at a particularly high standard.

Santomauro fought eight times in that run in Tijuana and last fought in America when defeating Darryl Hayes in 2016.

His most recent outing saw him lose by unanimous decision to Ricardo Rafael Sandoval and facing Yafai whilst looking to bounce back is hardly ideal. 

Galal Yafai vs Rocco Santomauro: The Underdog Needs A Miracle

• Galal Yafai to win in round 4 +1000
• Galal Yafai to win by TKO/KO -190
• Total Rounds under 7.5 +100

It would be a surprise to see anyone make a Yafai vs Santomauro prediction that didn’t see the Olympic champion come out on top.

He is the real deal inside the ring and we expect him to make it big in the professional ranks and soon enough make a step up in the quality of his opponents.

That’s not the case as he comes up against Santomauro, a boxer with a padded record against no one in particular. 

If you really want to have a flutter on the underdog then he is available at +750 on the Moneyline and +1400 to win on a decision.

After just five fights, Yafai is already ranked in the top 10 in two of the organizations and top 15 in a third.

In fact, with the IBF and WBO titles up for grabs in the main event, he may be hoping to earn a future title shot against Rodriguez or Edwards.