Boxing Match Preview: Steven Nelson (20-1-0, 16 KOs) vs. Raiko Santana (12-4-0, 6 KOs)
Venue & Event Info
Time: Main card begins 6:00 PM ET / 3:00 PM PT, with ring walks for this bout expected around 7:30 PM ET / 4:30 PM PT
Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada (Capacity: ~65,000 for boxing)
Broadcast: Netflix (global stream) — part of the Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford undercard
Notable: 10-round super middleweight contest; Nelson’s first fight since suffering his first career defeat to Diego Pacheco in January 2025
Fighter Status & Availability
Steven Nelson:
Age: 37 Height: 5’10” Reach: 75” Stance: Orthodox
Fighting out of: Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Last fight: L (UD) vs. Diego Pacheco — Jan 25, 2025
Strengths: Strong defensive skills, sharp counterpunching, veteran ring IQ
Camp focus: Rebounding from first loss, tightening guard against aggressive opponents
No reported injuries
Raiko Santana:
Age: 30 Height: 5’11” Reach: 74” Stance: Orthodox
Fighting out of: Havana, Cuba
Last fight: W (UD) vs. Lorenzo Simpson — Jun 28, 2024
Strengths: Aggressive style, heavy hands, forward pressure
Camp focus: Closing distance, sustaining high output without fading late
No reported injuries
Recent Form
Steven Nelson:
L (UD) vs. Diego Pacheco — Jan 2025
W (KO5) vs. Marcos Vazquez — Aug 2024
W (UD) vs. DeAndre Ware — Apr 2024
Raiko Santana:
W (UD) vs. Lorenzo Simpson — Jun 2024
L (UD) vs. Carlos Gongora — Feb 2024
W (TKO4) vs. journeyman opponent — Nov 2023
Series History
All-Time Meetings: First professional bout between Nelson and Santana
Betting Trends & Market Notes
Nelson: 4 of last 6 wins by KO/TKO; only loss came against an unbeaten top contender
Santana: 3–2 in last 5; tends to struggle against defensively sound opponents
Public money leaning toward Nelson by decision due to Santana’s durability
FIGHT ODDS
Steven Nelson – 300
Raiko Santana + 240
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, September 12, 2025
