Co-trained by his father, Ignacio Blancas, and Jose Benavidez Sr., six-foot-three super middleweight David “Ice Man” Blancas, 166.8 lbs., of Milwaukee, dominated Mexico's Raul Isaias Salomon over ten one-sided rounds. From the outset, Blancas demonstrated that he was comfortable moving forward and pressing or backward to lure Salomon into a trap. He did well keeping Salomon at bay with a stiff jab and footwork as well as timing his punches in between his adversary’s offense. Salomon, 167.4 lbs., of Long Beach, CA, was game but was just not busy enough. The judges tallied 100-90, and 99-91 (twice), all for Blancas (15-0 with 7 KOs). Blancas was a 13-time National champion as an amateur before turning pro in March 2022. Salomon’s record dipped to 16-4-1 with 14 KOs.
Seventeen-year-old Las Vegas-based lightweight Dylan “La Amenaza” Capetillo, 136.2 lbs., earned a four-round unanimous decision against a game James Pierce, 134.8 lbs., of Phoenix, AZ, to improve to 2-0 (1 KO) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. All three judges scored the contest 39-37, leaving Pierce with a record of 2-1 (2 KOs). As an experienced amateur, Capetillo boxed in over 70 bouts, winning three WBC Green Belt Challenges and a silver medal at the USA Boxing Nationals. He turned pro on April 11th and is trained by his father Jorge Capetillo.
To open up the Ramirez-Benavidez card at T-Mobile in Las Vegas, Russian Olympian southpaw Petr “The Surgeon” Khamukov, 160.8 lbs., of Los Angeles, CA, rebounded from his first defeat earning a ten-round unanimous decision against Bernard Joseph, with tallies of 99-91 twice, and 98-92. As a decorated amateur, Khamukov competed in over 350 bouts, winning gold at the 2016 Russian National Boxing Championships and 2015 European Amateur Boxing Champions, as well as vying in the 2016 Olympics in Rio. He is now 14-1 (6 KOs) as a pro. Joseph, of Dorchester, MA, who weighed in at 168.2 lbs., eight pounds above the initially-contracted middleweight limit, left the ring at 12-4-1 (5 KOs).
In a highly entertaining six-rounder, the Jose Benavidez Sr.-trained Julio “Diceman” Ocampo Hernandez faced a tough assignment in the slick, fleet-footed Carlos Lewis, 139.2 lbs., of Oklahoma City. At the start, Ocampo Hernandez, 139 lbs., of Kent, WA, had to eat much leather as he plodded his way inside against Lewis, who was consistently throwing fast combinations. Using his upper body movement, Lewis often Ocampo Hernadez miss as well. Ocampo Hernandez did have success targeting the midsection and it was in the fourth when he started to really heat up. Another key weapon for Ocampo Hernandez proved to be his overhand right. Both fighters had moments in the fifth, trading combinations and the sixth and final frame featured fierce exchanges as well, with Ocampo Hernandez having the edge with the cleaner shots. The judges were split, with scorecards of 58-56 going each away, and a third of 57-57, resulting in a draw. Ocampo Hernandez, now 9-0-1 (5 KOs), turned pro at age 19 with no amateur background. Lewis is now 5-1-1 (3 KOs).
Javier “El Gallito” Meza, 141 lbs., of Amarillo, TX, methodically broke down southpaw Damonte Smith, 141.4 lbs., of Davenport, IA, en route to a stoppage victory. Trained by Joel Diaz, Meza applied pressure from the outset trying to get inside. Smith boxed well early, jabbing, moving and landing in combination. By the third, Meza was timing Smith’s attacks to launch powerful counter shots. He hurt Smith near the end of the round, but was also warned for repeated low blows. In round four, Smith hit the deck twice from Meza flurries. The Texan came out for the fifth aggressively looking for the finish and he got it. With Smith trapped against the ropes, absorbing punishment and not throwing back, referee Thomas Taylor stopped the contest at 1:28 of the frame. Meza, now 6-0 (3 KOs), was a seven-time National champion and Texas State Golden Gloves champion as an amateur. Smith, 3-1 (1 KO), an experienced and accomplished amateur boxer himself, suffered his first pro defeat.
