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Daniel Santos (born October 10, 1975 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican boxer, who won a bronze medal in the Welterweight Division at the 1996 Summer Olympics and won "world" titles of sorts in the pro ranks.

Southpaw Santos competed in 1995 in the Pan American Games in Mar del Plata and captured the silver medal in his division.

• Representing Puerto Rico, won the bronze medal at 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. His results were:
  • Defeated Ernest Atangana Mboa (Cameroon) RSC 1 (2:54)
  • Defeated Kabil Lahsen (Morocco) 16-4
  • Defeated Nariman Atayev (Uzbekistan) 28-15
  • Lost to Oleg Saitov (Russia) 11-13

Also, Santos:

• • Won a bronze medal at the 1992 World Junior championships
  • Won a bronze medal at the 1990 World Junior championships

In addition to his medals, Santos was a stellar amateur, compiling an 117-3 amateur record.

Santos began his professional career in 1996, and got off to a 21-0-1 start in the Welterweight division, losing his first fight to unknown Kofi Jantuah in 1999 by TKO. The chin always remained a problem.

Later that year, Santos got a shot at WBO Welterweight Title holder Ahmed Kotiev and lost a controversial split decision in Germany, the American judge gave him the fight by a wide margin. In 2000 they had a rematch, and Santos won by spectaclar 5th round KO in Germany, capturing the title. Kotiev hadn't been regarded as the "real" champ by any leading magazine, Santos was therefore regarded as a "paper champion", never gaining the popularity of countryman Felix Trinidad.

Santos defended the four times, getting a KO over the smaller Giovanni Parisi and a no-contest with Antonio Margarito. Against Neil Sinclair he was again down early but knocked his foe out dramatically in the second round

In 2002 he moved up to Light Middleweight, taking on Luis Ramon Campas for the WBO title, and beating the experienced Mexican by 11th round TKO. He defended his title four times, including a technical decision in a rematch with Margarito (who had won the WBO welter belt), when the fight was one more time stopped due to a cut above Margarito's right eyebrow caused by accidental headbutt but this time the necessary minimum number of rounds were completed to count the score. In 2003 he decisioned Fulgencio Zuniga who was 15-0.

Santos lost the belt in 2005 to undefeated fellow southpaw and amateur star Sergiy Dzinziruk on points.

In 2007 he rebounded by knocking out José Antonio Rivera.

• Professional boxing record for Daniel Santos from Boxrec

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