Evangelista Santos vs Robelis Despaigne (Recap Pending)

Image: Rhdesantana / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Evangelista Santos, the Brazilian veteran with a 42-18 record, meets Cuban heavyweight Robelis Despaigne in what appears to be a significant size mismatch at welterweight. Santos carries decades of experience and 14 knockout wins across a lengthy career, while Despaigne brings a perfect finishing rate—five wins, all by knockout—despite just seven professional outings. The age and dimensional gaps make this one of the more unusual pairings on the card.

The fight takes place on Sunday, 17 May 2026.

Tale of the Tape

Evangelista Santos

Odds: +353.3333333333333 (avg across books)

Record: 42-18-0

KO Wins: 14 (33%)

Age: 48

Height: 5ft10

Nationality: Brazil

Weight Class: 170 lb

Robelis Despaigne

Odds: -550 (avg across books)

Record: 5-2-0

KO Wins: 5 (100%)

Age: 37

Height: 6ft7

Nationality: Cuba

Weight Class: Heavyweight

Form & Styles

Santos has built his résumé on durability and adaptability, logging wins and losses against varied opposition over a career that spans multiple weight classes. Despaigne's entire body of work has ended inside the distance, suggesting an aggressive, power-first approach that has yet to see the judges. The Cuban's heavyweight frame moving down to welterweight presents questions about speed and cardio, while Santos will need to navigate a considerable height disadvantage and avoid the power that has defined Despaigne's short run.

Prediction

Robelis Despaigne is the market favourite by a wide margin, and the logic is straightforward: five fights, five stoppages, and a significant physical advantage. The lean here follows the favourite, as Despaigne's knockout power and size should prove overwhelming if he can make the weight without losing effectiveness. That said, Santos has seen every scenario the sport offers, and upsets happen when experience meets aggression—nothing in combat sports is a foregone conclusion.

Betting involves risk. 18+ only. Odds shown were correct at time of writing and are subject to change. When the fun stops, stop — BeGambleAware.org.