Surging San Antonio-based Super Bantamweight contender Ramon "Dinimita" Cardenas returns to the ring this Wednesday on the PROBOX TV Series, in Plant City. Florida. He last fought on the same series, back in February, and stopped Israel RodriguezPicazo in six rounds. Cardenas has scored consecutive highly impressive KOs on big cards and has gotten himself into the world title picture at 122 pounds. A win on Wednesday over Jesus Ramirez Rubio would inch the Alamo City native one step closer to realizing his world title goals. Rubio took a step up back in 2022 and was stopped by Nick Ball in one round. He bounced back from that and won his only fight of 2023 by stopping a fighter by the name of Felipe Carlon Lopez in seven rounds to run his record to 22-2-3 (16). Cardenas currently has a 24-1 (13) record and has won 12 fights in a row.
Ramon Cardenas Dominates, Stops Picazo in Florida
28-year-old "Dinamita" Ramon Cardenas is emerging as one of the premier 122-pounders in the world. The San Antonio native improved his record to 23-1 (12) after scoring his second upset stoppage victory in just five months. The 122-pound Texan stopped surging Mexican prospect Israel Rodriguez Picazo. Unlike Friday night's fight at the Garden between O'Shaquie Foster and Abraham Nova, the Cardenas and Picazo came out like gangbusters. Dinamita pressed forward but also selected beautiful corner shots with the right hand and left hook that continually landed on the button. Cardenas rocked Picazo to the body late in the second, and Picazo began to let off the gas just a little bit. Noticing Picazo didn't like the body shots. The San Antonian, began focusing on the body more and taking more and more steam out of his opponent. Cardenas caught Picazo low halfway through that frame. The fifth round saw some rough play as a low blow put Picazo to the floor, and the Mexican took a prolonged recovery period to gather himself. Just moments later, the two combatants collided heads, and both men got cuts. After the cuts, Picazo came out slinging once again to end the fifth. In the sixth, a massive right-hand scored from Cardenas literally knocked Picazo’s jaw out of whack. Unable to close his jaw following the end of the end, the doctor was called in to examine the damaged jaw, and the response when asked if the fight should be stopped was a resounding, “Oh dear, yes” The fight was immediately stopped, and Cardenas, was awarded the sixth-round TKO.
Ramon Cardenas to Headline February 16th PROBOX TV Card
Ramon Cardenas, of San Antonio, said his second-round KO of Rafael Pedroza in the main event of a Showtime-televised card was a "star-making performance." It certainly did change a lot of things for the 28-year-old. It put the 122-pound division on notice, it moved the Alamo City native's record to 23-1 (12). It put him firmly in the world title picture and made him the leader in the clubhouse to be the next world champion from the 210. That sensational victory also set up his next fight. Cardenas will again hit the road and head to Florida, a state that he has fought in twice before and has gone 2-0 (1),and take on Israel Rodriguez Picazo in the main event of a Friday, February 16th, PROBOV TV card at the Whitesand’s Event Center in Plant City, Florida. Picazo, of Mexico City, Mexico, sports a 30-5 (20) record. Picazo dropped a decision to Mauricio Lara in 2016 and has won 15 fights in a row since his last loss, a 2019 points loss to Eduardo Baez in Mexico. Cardenas is currently ranked #6 by the WBA in the Super Bantamweight division. The Texan says he can still make 118 pounds if a world title shot becomes available at the weight class.
Ramon Cardenas Shines in San Antonio on SHOBOX
In front of a packed out crowd at the Boeing Center that included former world champions like Joshua Franco, Bam Rodriguez, and James Leija, as well as San Antonio Spurs great Keldon Johnson. The often overlooked and underappreciated "Dinamita" Ramon Cardenas vaulted himself into the world title picture in spectacular fashion. Cardenas, who has started slow in the past, got to work immediately, bringing the action to Rafael Pedroza. Cardenas landed clean power shots. One particular straight right-hand buckled Pedroza. The Alamo City native dominated the opening three minutes. The next 1:17 changed his trajectory. Cardenas scored with a picture-perfect left hook, caught Pedroza flush on the side of the head, and sent him to the canvas and hard. Pedroza got right up and showed more heart than was good for him. Pedroza went right after Cardenas. The Texan scored with another left hook over the top that dropped Pedroza like a building imploding on himself as the crows erupted. Referee Rafael Ramoswaved the bout off immediately as Cardenas improved his record to 23-1 (12).
In the evening's co-main event, Argentinian power hitter Mirco Cuello was able to track down Rudy Garcia. In a bull vs. matador style fight, it was Garcia who appeared to get off to a fast start, working behind a quick jab Garcia mixed in body shots. However, he couldn't keep the hard-hitting Argentine off him forever as Cuello closed the gap and was able to force the fight onto the inside. Cuello's left hook began slowing down his speedy opponent and opened up a cut near his eye. Cuello never relented. He was awarded a controversial knockdown in round five and kept the pressure on throughout the second half. Garcia continued to offer constant movement and had many moments, especially to the body. However, he just couldn't keep the pressure of Cuello at bay as he continued to land the more meaningful shots as he took a much too wide decision of 99-90x3.
Several other Texans were featured on the card, including 18-year-old phenom from Laredo Felix 'Gatito" Garcia, who moved to 7-0 (1). Gatito showed vast improvement as he cut off the ring on the speedy Joseph Johnson. Throughout the scheduled four-rounder. He applied pressure and landed thudding body shots that broke Johnson down over the four rounds. Garcia took a split decision by scores of 40-36x2, with the third judge handing in an inappropriate 38-38 draw.
Speaking of draws, Arturo Ramos, of San Antonio, and tested veteran Bryan Springs, also of San Antonio, battled to a disputed draw. Ramos chased down Springs and landed in combinations and did good work when he was able to cut off the ring and get Springs in the ropes. However, he simply wasn't active enough. Springs antagonized the pro-Ramos crowd with his antics and used every square inch of the ring to score with a jab and would mix in flurries at times. The fight, which was quite a challenge to score, due to the contrast in styles ended in what seemed appropriate, a three-way draw with scores of 39-37 each way and 38-38.
In the lone women's bout, hometown fighter Ravven Brown made quick work of Kavarcia Polk, scoring a first-round KO to move her record to 1-0 (1).
Three Texans Look to Shine in Vegas on PBC Card
On Saturday, May 13th, three Texans will take to Las Vegas and look to take a major step forward in their respective careers. In the evening's co-main event, Omar "El Relampago" Juarez, 14-1 (5), of Brownsville, takes the biggest fight of his career as he battles former two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy, 29-2-1 (15), of Havana, Cuba. Juarez is now 23 years old and has scored three highly impressive victories since his lone career defeat to All Rivera in the Summer of 2021. A win here gets the Rio Grande Valley native into the title picture. The 23-year-old has brought in the help of world-famous strength and conditioning coach Tony Brady to prepare for the biggest fight of his professional career.
On the undercard portion of the card is PBC's 2022 Prospect of the Year, Michael Angeletti, 7-0 (6), of Spring, Texas. Angelletti will battle rugged Venezuelan contender Michell Banquez 20-3 (14), in a Super Bantamweight bout. Banquez recently fought San Antonio native Ramon Cardenas in San Antonio and gave the touted prospect a competitive 10-round scrap. Angeletti, who is also nearing a world title shot, last fought in October and blew away fellow undefeated prospect Jeremy Adorno in just five rounds. Angeletti dominated his outmatched opponent in every single round and made Adorno quit on the stool following the fifth round.
Also on the card is hard-hitting, fan-favorite, knockout artist Javi Vargas 3-1 (3), of McAllen. Vargas suffered the lone defeat of his career back in December. The McAllen native has bounced back nicely and, in April scored a sensational first-round TKO of Milton Banks in San Antonio on a P4P Promotions card. He will enter as the B-side, but as a very live dog as he battles undefeated 154-pound prospect David Whitmire, 1-0 (1) of Washington DC. Whitmire made his pro debut in February in San Antonio and scored a brutal first-round TKO of fellow Rio Grande Valley native Keith Foreman.
Figueroa Impresses at New Weight Class, Cardenas Closes in on Title Shot
Former 122-pound world champion and all-action fan favorite Brandon "The Heartbreaker" Figueroa of Weslaco looked impressive in his featherweight debut. Following his very controversial loss to Stephen Fulton last November. He showed no ring rust in taking apart and handing Carlos Castro his second consecutive loss. After a feeling-out process in the first round, Figueroa got to work in the second and dropped Castro in the third with a left hook. The Rio Grande Valley native hit the gas and kept pouring on the punches and nearly getting the stoppage. Castro survived the round and tried to avoid the hard-hitting south Texan. However, by the sixth round southpaw's relentlessness paid off and he was able to turn his opponent around force him into the ropes, and unleashed a barrage of thudding and pin point accurate body shots that left Castro defenseless in the corner and forced the referee to stop the fight at the 2:11 mark of the sixth round. Figueroa moved his record to 23-1-1 (18). The bout was a WBC eliminator, placing the 25-year-old Figueroa, in a position to challenge newly minted champ Rey Vargas for the WBC featherweight strap and become a two-division world champion.
Also on the card was surging bantamweight prospect Ramon Cardenas of San Antonio fought in his hometown for the first time since taking a unanimous decision over Ramsey Luna in 2018. He boxed beautifully in a 10-round affair earning a unanimous decision over Michell Baanquez of Venezuela. The Alamo City native was able to fight off the pressure and nail. After a fairly even opening three rounds, Cardenas caught Baanquez with a left hook that wobbled him. He was able to counter his man brilliantly throughout the middle rounds. Stabbing him with the jab, avoiding the Venezuelan heavy artillery, and countering him with hooks and straight rights. Cardenas, like the consummate professional he is, closed the show out in impressive fashion, scoring with a left hook with just over 40 seconds in the bout that again buzzed his opponent to close the show. On his way to earning a unanimous decision victory by scores of 97-93x2 and 96-94. It was Cardenas's first fight with San Antonio-based trainer Chato Martinez. The two seemed to work well together and have a bright future.
Also on the card was highly touted prospect "X-man" Xavier Bocanegra hails from Donna in the Rio Grande Valley. The Blue chip prospect battered and outclassed an over-matched opponent by the name of Travis Crawford. The RGV native badly wobbled Crawford with a pair of left hooks and then jumped on his stunned opponent and unleashed a barrage of power shots that forced the referee to call a halt to the action at the 2;27 mark of round three. Giving Bocanegra his first stoppage victory and moving his record to 2-0 (1)
Fellow Rio Grande Valley native Fabian Diaz of Edinburg made his pro debut a successful one. Earning a unanimous decision and winning a clear-cut but hard-earned decision over Julio Gomez of Mexico, a very game and durable opponent. Making the young Diaz dig a bit in his pro debut.
Hometown slugger Raymond "Tito" Guajardo was also on the card and ended an over 2-year-layoff. He had to settle for a disputed draw in his comeback fight. Most thought Guajardo had done enough, but the judges disagreed and declared the bout a draw. Guajardo's record moved to 5-1-1 (4).
Four Texans Take the Ring at Alamodome
Four different Texans representing both the 210 and the 956 will have homecoming fights this weekend in the world-famous Alamodome in San Antonio. All four fighters must win fights and are in four very different stages of their careers. Most notably is Brandon "The Heartbreaker" Figueroa. Figueroa looks to get back to a world championship and pound-for-pound status when he steps in the ring for the first time since losing a very controversial and disputed majority decision to Stephen Fulton. A fight no one thinks the Texan loss, outside of judges Dave Moretti and Tim Cheatham. Figueroa, the Rio Grande Valley native who made his hometown of Weslaco a household name the world over, will battle Cesar Castro in a WBC title eliminator. The fight will be contested in the featherweight division. Figueroa's first fight in the weight class and is just four pounds in the super bantamweight division where he held world titles. Castro's last two opponents, Luis Nery, whom he dropped a very contested decision, and Oscar Escandon, whom he stopped in the 10th round, are common opponents with "The Heartbreaker", Figueroa, stopped both men. A win for the RGV native will make him the mandatory challenger for the WBC featherweight champion, which will be determined in the night's main event between current WBC champ Mark Magsayo and Rey Vargas.
Also on the card is the 20-1 (10) El Dinamita Ramon Cardenas of San Antonio is on the verge of a world title fight in the 118-pound division after his third-round TKO of Marvin Solano in Orlando, Florida, last August. He captured the vacant WBA continental America bantamweight title and was scheduled to fight in a title eliminator of his own. The 5th-ranked Cardenas was scheduled to fight Melvin Lopez, of Nicaragua. Cardenas had to pull out of the fight due to an injury. The 26-year-old San Antonian is knocking on the door of a world title shot, one way or another, and a win on Saturday in front of his hometown fans might be exactly, what he needs to get a fight with the current WBA champ Naoya Inoue a fight with the pound for pound elite is something the rugged Cardenas welcomes
Further down on the card are two youngsters, one looking to reinvigorate what was a sensational start to his career and the other looking to make a name for himself. Back in early 2020, San Antonio's Raymond "Tito" Guajardo was thought to be one of, if not, the brightest 154-pound prospects in the world. At merely 19 years old he sported simply ridiculous one-punch power and freakish man strength for a teenager. He scored one posterizing knockout after another. Running his record to 5-0 (4) Before he ran into party-crasher, Clay Collard, who dropped Guajardo early and then got up off the canvas after Guajardo scored rallied back and scored a knockdown of his own, and finished off the Alamo City native. It has been a tumultuous, two years for Tito, but all that is behind him now and the hard-hitting southpaw looks to pick back up on what was a once incredibly-promising career.
Amateur stand-out and Donna native"X Man" Xavier Bocanegra looks to continue his success and just as the fellow Rio Grand valley natives Omar and Brandon Figueroa put their town of Weslaco on the map, Xavier and his little brother amateur stand-out, Ranulfo, look to make Donna, Texas, world-famous for producing world champion brothers. Xavier caught the eye of famed trainer Ronnie Shields, owner of the Plex Gym in Houston. After a sparring session that Bocanegra was highly impressive. Shields started working with the elder Bocanegra son and turned him pro. The Donna native made his pro debut a successful one scoring a unanimous decision victory, winning all four rounds on all three cards back in April on the undercard of Lubin-Fundora in Las Vegas.
Javier Fernandez Moves to 7-0; caps off exciting San Antonio Card
San Antonio is quickly becoming the fight capital of the Lone Star State, Saturdays card at the Shrine auditorium is a prime example as to why. An electric five-bout card that featured live musical acts and was well attended by a cheering crowd as well as local celebrities such as 140-pound prospect Omar Juarez and Bantamweight contender Ramon Cardenas. In the main event unbeaten 18-year-old Featherweight prospect Javier Fernandez, of San Antonio, improved his record to 7-0. Taking the first major test of his young career he put constant pressure on Darryl Hayes of Houston. Fernadez ripped body shots in the early going and kept Hayes, who was looking to move, kept getting caught in exchanges up against the ropes.
The card kicked off with a highly touted California native making his Texas debut Angel Chavez made quick work of his overmatched opponent Brushnell Robert who was making his pro-debut. Chavez moves his record to 4-0. on a seek and destroy a mission he scored with an overhand right to the side of the that ended the bout just 43 seconds after it started. By the third round, Hayes started to show signs of fatigue as the San Antonian started digging in and for the first time noticeably hurting Hays with a three-piece combination just prior to the bell sounding to end the third. The second of the half looked much the same, with Fernadez trapping and out-working his opponent and landing the heavier shots in the exchanges. Rolling to a clear points victory by scores of 59-51 and 58-52 while the third judge egregiously scored the fight 58-52 in favor of Hayes.
In the co-main event, Fan-favorite Crisanto Lucio entered to a tremendous roar from the crowd. He immediately got to work and gave the crowd what they wanted scoring a vicious second-round knockout via a thudding right hand followed by a body shot that put Corpus Christi, native Christopher Cantu down and out in his pro debut. The 21- year-old Lucio moved his record.
in the next bout unbeaten welterweight, Luis Alberto Gallegos, of San Antonio put together a dominant opening round mixing up body shots and headshots perfectly. Which set up a vicious second-round KO over an overmatched Ruben Martinez, also of San Antonio. Moving onto a thrilling light heavyweight scrap between fan-favorite Enrique Neira, who originally hails from San Angelo, Texas, and received a massive roar from the crowd. He controlled the range rocked his opponent Michael Sanchez with a right hand and then staggered him badly moments later with a left hook double right hand getting back to boxing Enrique controlled his man with the jab in the second. With Neira likely taking the first two rounds Sanchez picked up the pace and exchanged on the inside landing his best shot early in the fourth. The two traded heavy leather for the remainder of the fairly even final round. However, the rally was too little too late for Sanchez as Neira took the majority decision by scores of 38-38 even and 39-37x2 in his favor to move his record to 8-1.
Ortiz & Franco Complete Texas Two-Step: 5 Texans in all Win on Saturday
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.