Tito Sanchez Wins Bruising Battle at Fantasy Springs

Featherweights Jose “Tito” Sanchez and Walter Santibanes unloaded blows like a chain gun in the last show of the year on Thursday in Indio, California.

Sanchez won by unanimous decision, but fans didn’t seem to care. The action spoke for itself.

Cathedral City’s Sanchez (12-0) remained undefeated but Arizona’s Santibanes (12-3) was a great help in pleasing the many fans at Fantasy Springs Casino. It was Golden Boy Promotions final boxing card of 2023.

Both Sanchez and Santibanes fought southpaw and switched to orthodox stances frequently, but seldom did they leave each other outside of punching distance.

Sanchez worked the body more frequently and was able to slip more blows than Santibanes and that proved the difference in their 10-round back-and-forth war. All three judges scored in favor of the local fighter Sanchez 99-91 twice and 98-92.

Arizona’s Santibanes was slightly deflated by the scores, but fans showed their appreciation for the Phoenix-based fighter who had previously upset an undefeated fighter (Manuel Flores; 15-0) last June.

Other Bouts

Middleweight Eric Priest (12-0, 8 KOs) needed only 2:09 to end the night of Paul Mendez (21-5-2). A counter right cross floored Mendez early in the opening round. Mendez beat the count but was met with a flurry of blows that forced referee Ed Hernandez to end the fight.

Ventura’s Ricardo Ruvalcava (11-0-1) defeated Mexico’s Irving Macias (15-4) by unanimous decision after eight rounds in a welterweight match.

Tijuana’s Jorge Chavez (9-0, 7 KOs) knocked out Nicaragua’s Jerson Ortiz (17-10) at the end of the second round. Chavez, who trains with Hector Lopez in Santa Ana, floored the Nicaraguan fighter with a five-punch combination in the opening round. It was downhill from there as Chavez proved too strong for Ortiz.

“He didn’t want it no more,” Chavez said of his foe.

Welterweight Justin Figueroa (7-0, 6 KOs) proved too strong in blasting out Jerome Clayton (3-3-1) at 1:57 of the third round. Figueroa fights out of Atlantic City and floored Clayton four times before ending the one-sided match.

Photo credit: Cris Esqueda /Golden Boy Promotions

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE