By Miguel Maravilla at ringside
Welterweight Abel Ramos (24-3-2, 18 KOs) of Phoenix outpointed Francisco “Chia” Santana (25-7-1, 12 KOs) of Santa Barbara, California over the distance in a very competitive 10-round bout. Santana and Ramos exchanged right hands in the opening round to start things off. In the second, Santana landed a solid combination as he had Ramos against the ropes, later in the round, left hook to the head dropped Ramos. Popping the jab and keeping his distance in the third Ramos boxed as Santana pressed and landed a crisp left hook. Mixing it up on the inside in the fifth, Ramos outworked Santana but the veteran crouched and stayed busy.
Past the halfway point in the sixth, Ramos worked off the jab as he was cut above the lip, Santana worked his way inside as he continued to stay on top of Ramos. Santana was hurt in the final seconds of the seventh round as Ramos pressed, Santana was saved by the bell. With Santana tired in the eighth, Ramos pressed as the fight appeared to be close late in the fight. Late in the fight with the fight close, Santana pressed as Ramos stood his ground exchanging.
After 98-92, 97-92, and 95-94 as Abel Ramos wins a unanimous decision.
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Undefeated Nigerian heavyweight Efe Ajagba (9-0, 8KOs) stopped Amir Mansour (23-4-1 KOs) in two. Ajagba landed a short right hand as he sent Mansour to the canvas. Monsour was up and down a second time from a left hook in the final seconds of the opening round and was saved by the bell. The Nigerian Ajagba kept pounding away round two as he had Mansour ready to go. Mansour made it through the round but could not continue as the referee waived the bout at the end of round two.
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Former world champion Juan Carlos Payano (21-2, 9 KOs) of Panama handled bantamweight prospect Damien Vazquez (14-1, 7 KOs) of Colorado over eight rounds in headlining the PBC on FS1 card. Payano was on the attack early landing some thudding punches as he backed Vasquez. Mixing it up on the inside Payano got the better of the exchanges in landing the straight left. In the fourth, Payano was cut below the right eye as Vasquez popped the jab.
The blood began to flow down from Payano’s cut in the fifth as Vasquez stick and moved. The former world champion rocked Vasquez with a left in the sixth as he was badly hurt, despite the bleeding Payano continued to land big punches as Vasquez was saved by the bell. The eighth and final round saw Payano pressing as Vasquez kept his distance.
In the end the judges scored the bout 80-72, 80-72 and 79-73.
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2016 Lithuanian Olympian Eimantas Stanionis (8-0, 5 KOs) and Sammy Figueroa (11-2, 4 KOs) of Puerto Rico battled it out going the distance eight rounds in opening up the FS1 telecast. Statinionis and Figueroa mixed it up in the early rounds trading big punches. Figueroa was slick boxing and keeping his distance as Stanionis attacked landing solidly. The Lithuanian began to control Figueroa late in the fight landing solid combinations and backing up the Puerto Rican in route to a unanimous decision. All three judges scored the bout 80-72.
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In the opening bout from the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, Ukrainian super featherweight prospect Viktor Slavinskyi (8-0-1, 4 KOs) won a unanimous decision over Luis May (21-13-1, KOs) of Mexico. Slavinskyi dominated for six rounds and credit to May he held his own in going the distance. All three judges scored the bout 60-54.