As 2023 waved goodbye, we were treated to another barn burner for ‘Fight of the Year’. Golden Boy Fight Night on DAZN: Sanchez vs. Santibañes was a whirlwind of fists and fury, with every fight delivering more bang than a New Year’s Eve firecracker. In the Coachella Valley, the crowd was more electrified than a power plant, rooting for their local hero, Jose “Tito” Sanchez (12-0, 7 KOs). Tito went toe-to-toe with Walter Santibanes (12-3, 2 KOs), a real tough cookie from Phoenix, Arizona. Their 10-round featherweight tussle was like watching a tennis match, but with more punches. In the end, Tito stood tall, snagging a unanimous nod from the judges with scores making Santibanes look like he was playing bingo: 99-91, 99-91, and 98-92. This rumble was live from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino on DAZN, hitched up with Miguel Cotto Promotions.
Tito tipped his hat to Golden Boy and Miguel Cotto Promotions, saying, “This wasn’t just a fight, it was a full-blown war. The crowd’s roars were like a shot of adrenaline, pushing me through the meat grinder. Even with my right knuckle looking like it went through a blender in the third round, I hung tough for 10 rounds, riding on the Coachella Valley’s wave.”
Meanwhile, in the co-main event, Eric Priest (12-0, 8 KOs) from Kansas City, Missouri, brought the thunder. He sent Paul Mendez (21-5-2, 11 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada, packing with a knockout so explosive, it should’ve come with a warning label. Supposed to be an eight-rounder, Priest ended the show with a left hook that had Mendez kissing canvas. Priest’s victory lap was at 2:09, leaving Mendez wondering what day it was.
Priest, riding high, said, “After tweaking my game post-last fight, I came in like a wrecking ball. Training in Las Vegas with Ismael Salas is like hanging with the legends. My message to the middleweights? If you didn’t know me before, it’s high time you did.”
Golden Boy’s new hotshot, Jorge Chavez (9-0, 7 KOs) from San Diego, steamrolled Jerson Ortiz (17-10, 8 KOs) from Managua, Nicaragua. Scheduled for six rounds, Chavez sent Ortiz to dreamland in the second, with Ortiz’s corner chucking in the towel soon after.
The night’s bloodbath featured Ventura’s Ricardo Ruvalcaba (11-0-1, 9 KOs) and Monterrey, Mexico’s Irvin Macias (15-4, 10 KOs). It was a slugfest that went the distance over eight rounds. Ruvalcaba emerged from the fray with his hand raised, the judges tipping their hats to him unanimously.
To kick off the DAZN show, Justin “Just-in-time” Figueroa (7-0, 6 KOs) from Atlantic City, New Jersey, left Jerome Clayton (3-3-1, 3 KOs) of Metairie, Louisiana, counting stars with a third-round knockout. Planned for four rounds, Figueroa flipped the off switch at 1:57 in the third.
And to light the fuse for the night, Fabian Guzman (3-0, 3 KOs) of Orange, CA, delivered a showstopper against Rueben Johnson (0-4) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Guzman sent Johnson for a loop early in the second, sealing the deal at 2:01, with the ref jumping in to save Johnson from becoming a punching bag.
