Photo Credit: Counter Punch Media
Big-time boxing returned to The Gateway City, Laredo, Texas. The Same's Auto Arena has become synonymous with boxing, and the card it hosted Saturday was no exception. The undercard featured several highly competitive bouts and local fighters. Nicholas Molina of Laredo used precise power shots, right hands that rocked Manuel Martinez with one of his signature right hands early in the fifth that shook Martinez. Molina seized the moment and unleashed a barrage of power shots. Forcing the ref's hand to stop the fight and improving his record to 6-2-1 (5).
In another high-action undercard bout, Juan Garcia of Carrizo Springs was relentless in moving his record to 5-0 (2) and outpointing a game Gary Hampton of Fort Worth, who fell to 5-1 (0). Garcia stayed behind a high guard and attacked scoring with straight right hands and lead hooks he kept Hampton on the back foot. The Fort Worth native had moments in the fight with well-timed countershots. Garcia scored with a big left hook in the third that rocked the head of Hampton, and ultimately the judges preferred his aggression and precise power punching to the jab and counter shots of Hampton, taking the competitive decision by scores of 58-56 X2 and 59-55.
Explosive Laredo-based prospect Jaime Jasso was able to avenge his last professional defeat, a 2021 points loss to the skilled Guillermo Gutierrez of San Antonio, to move his record to 5-2 (0). In his first-ever scheduled 8-rounder, Jasso did not fade and got cooking in the second half. Brilliantly working angels and scoring with a barrage of power shots from every possible angle. The Laredo native had a noticeable speed advantage and used slick footwork and his speed advantage to avoid the artillery of the San Antonio native. Jasso fought brilliantly off the book to decide by scores of 78-74x2 and 77-75 to capture the WBC Flyweight Youth title.
Highly touted super middleweight prospect Daniel Blancas from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, moved to 9-0 (4) and narrowly escaped with a split decision over Bruno Pola, originally of Mexico, who now fights out of San Antonio, Texas. Pola, a southpaw, consistently landed with his jab that set up big straight left hands and seemed to have better moments, he appeared to land the harder, cleaner shots. In a once in a lifetime moment, a double knockdown occurred in the opening round, both fighters scored with hooks, and both fighters dropped. It was a foreshadowing of how competitive and close the fight was going to be. Blancas marched forward and had some success on the inside, but early on Pola was able to keep him at bay and made his opponent pay every time he tried to get inside. Blancas kept charging forward trying to get on the inside and landed some clean shots but never really seemed to get on the inside/ Balncas did some of his best work in the fourth round and was able to score with a straight right that allowed him to get inside and do damage on the inside. However, Pola stood his ground and answered back. The rest of the night was back and forth nip and tuck with Blancas trying to get on the inside with Pola tagging him when he did at the end of the highly competitive eight-round affair, the judges slightly favored Blancas. The first two judges handed in reasonable scorecards of 77-75, one in favor of each man. The third judge, Eleazar Luna Bacahanded in a ridiculous 79-73 in favor of Bancas
Travis Crawford, the typically all-action slugger from Corpus Christi, used a bit more caution in moving his record to 7-2 (2) and scoring his seventh consecutive victory. Using his speed and reach advantage over the always-determined Alex Ramos of Laredo, who fell to 7-2 (3). Crawford used a sharp jab through the affair to keep Rmos from charging in and would put well-placed right hands behind it. Ramos kept competitive throughout. Marching forward and scoring with his jab and ripping off hard power shots, but it just wasn't enough as the hometown favorite dropped the decision to Crawford, who was just too sharp in the mid-range and long-range and had Ramos in a bit of trouble in the fifth with a well placed right hand. Crawford stayed in control and did just enough as he was consistently first and landed the cleaner, more eye-catching shots, and took a split decision by scores of 78-74 and 77-75, with the third judge favoring the aggressive work of Ramos by a score of 78-74
Just moments into the main event, Hugo Castaneda originally of McAllen, Texas, but was raised in Mexico, caught undefeated Laredo blue chip prospect Felix Garcia on the chin with a left hook that snapped his head back. Castaneda followed up with a hook to that body that took the wind out of Garcia. Another left hook came in and scored on the side of Garcia's head and buckled him. The assault was on, and Castaned let loose but stayed in control while gunning for the first-round stoppage. After a few more power shots scored on the button, referee Jose Guadalupe Garcia stepped in and waived the bout to halt at the 1:19 mark of the first round to give the Laredo prospect his first loss and move Castaneda to 14-1-1 (10) and take home the WBC Youth Super featherweight title. Castaneda captured the WBO youth title in late 2022.