Multi-time Trainer of the Year award winner Robert Garcia has one of, if the not deepest stable in professional boxing. This is typically a great thing, except when two of the fighters in your stable have major fights on the same day. That's exactly what happened on Saturday night as undefeated blue-chip prospect Vergil Ortiz had a homecoming date at The Star in Frisco against a former world title challenger and WBA Super Flyweight champ "The Professor" Josh Franco of San Antonio had a title offense against Australian rival Andrew Moloney. Garcia was stuck with the tough decision of having to pick one corner to work. He opted for Franco and left the unbeaten protégé in the hands of other members of the Robert Garcia Boxing academy as well as Ortiz Sr. The decision worked out perfectly as both men scored sensational victories
Over in Frisco, Ortiz who has blown past everyone he has stepped in the ring with, got off to a rougher than expected start. After a fairly even and uneventful first round, Egidijus Kavaliauskas of Lithuania rocked Ortiz with an uppercut that landed perfectly on the chin of the Texan. The Lithuanian fired one power shot after another that seemingly put Ortiz to the canvas however referee Lawrence Cole ruled it a slip. Facing real adversity for the first time in his career, it would be interesting to how the young upstart would respond and respond he did. From that point on Ortiz would dominate in typical fashion. Staying composed and working behind the jab, Ortiz was able to stabilize himself and end the round well. He then seized control of the fight starting in the third and dropped Kavaliauskas with a shotgun of a jab followed by a short left hook. The hometown hero didn't go for the kill and stayed in control. Working calmly behind the jab and attacking the body Ortiz dominated the next several rounds. Setting up the eight, when a body shot sent the "Mean Machine" to the canvas for a second time. Ortiz stayed on the prowl and put Kavaliauskas on the canvas for the third time and again Kavaliauskas made it up, but not for long. As a barrage of uppercuts from the Texan again dropped Kavaliauskas. Sensing the end was near Ortiz unleashed a vicious series of power shots that send Kavaliauskas one last time just before the bell. This time for good as Laurence Cole waived the bout off at the end of the 8th round.
A few hours to the north in Tulsa. Oklahoma at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Alamo City native Joshua Franco put together a career-best performance in outpointing Andrew Moloney. Dominant from the opening bell on. The Professor took Moloney to boxing school. Scoring with a blistering right hand that could not miss Franco built up a big lead in the middle rounds. Momentum seemed to change in the seventh when the two exchanged right hands and Franco was put down to the canvas. Live speed it did appear that Moloney landed a glancing blow that dropped an off-balance Franco. However, the replay showed that Moloney's right hand missed and Franco was the one that landed and the knockdown was overturned. Franco cleared his had got back in control and dominated the Australian the rest of the way nailing him with laser-like right hands from the midrange. Constantly throwing first and keeping Moloney on the back foot. Moloney rallied in spurts in the ninth as well as in the final round but every time he did he was matched every step of the way by the San Antonian. Going to the cards it was academic as all three judges scored unanimously 116-112 in favor of the champion.
Two Dallas-based, southpaw brothers, Alex and George Rincon scored dominant, unanimous decision victories on the undercard at the Star in Frisco. Big brother George Rincon used his jab and straight lefts to overwhelm Brooklyn, NY-based opponent, Nikolai Buzolin. Rincon won every round on every card 80-72 on each of the three cards. Alex Rincon was equally as dominant in defeating Sanny Duversonne. The younger Rincon brother put on a competitive boxing clinic to take all 8 rounds on two of the three cards and seven of the eight on the third and move his record to 9-0 (6)
Down in Orlando, Florida on a card promoted by Nelson Lopez and Marshall Kaufman, San Antonio-based Ramon Cardenas, moved his record to 20-1 and captured the WBA continental bantamweight title by defeating veteran Marvin Solano of Nicaragua. Making it a perfect 5-0 for Texas fighters. For Cardenas it's the second division he has won regional titles in and could be on his way to a world title fight in 2022.