By Norm Frauenheim —Tank Davis looked vulnerable. The sign was there in an ugly bruise, going from red to crimson, beneath his right eye.

But the bruise might as well have been a mask.

For a while, it hid what has always been there. Davis’ quick-strike power is a dynamic that never stays hidden for long.

It struck all over again, this time dropping a gutsy Frank Martin onto his back alongside the ropes Saturday night in a devastating eighth-round knockout at MGM’s Grand Garden Arena in an Amazon Prime fight for the lightweight title.

“No question, I’m back,’’ Davis (30-0, 28 KOs) said. “No question.’’

No doubt, either.

Questions, however, were lurking after about 14-month stretch of no bouts and time in jail at home in Baltimore.

Martin hoped he had the ability to exploit them. And, for a while, it looked as if he might. He danced away. He moved inside, he moved outside with enough agility and courage to bruise Davis.

“But I knew, I knew, he’d tire out,’’ Davis said.

He did. Martin’s quick feet began to slow, round-after-round absorbing Tank’s wicked combinations.

At 1:29 of the eighth, it was finally over. Davis rocked Martin (19-1, 12 KOs) with a succession of punches. It looked as if Martin was ready to fall. Davis made sure of it with a left-handed shot that began at his hip and traveled like a menacing meteor in a direct strike on Martin’s exposed chin.

It was over, an exclamation point, a reminder of Davis’ pound-for-pound credentials and perhaps an even bigger opportunity to prove himself on a bigger stage against Vasiliy Lomachenko later this year. 

Benavidez scores unanimous decision in 175-pound debut

It was a debut that demanded a difference.

A different David Benavidez.

That’s what he delivered in his first fight at a heavier weight against an experienced and toughened light-heavyweight.

Oleksandr Gvozydk, a former 175-pound champion, endured Benavidez’ whirlwind arsenal early and tested him with his own fundamental power later.

In losing a unanimous decision to Benavidez Saturday night at the MGM’s Grand Garden Arena, the Ukrainian didn’t tame The Monster in a fighter feared at super-middleweight.

But he did counter his evident mean streak with a durability Benavidez has never really encountered.

“I felt like I had a great fight against a great fighter,’’ said Benavidez, who also said he came into the fight with two injuries – a cut over his right eyelid and a torn tendon in his right hand – suffered two weeks ago. “It was a new weight, a different weight.’’

Benavidez left the ring with two things unchanged. He’s still unbeaten (29-0, 24 KOs). And he still intends to pursue a title at super-middleweight. That means Canelo Alvarez, of course.

“We’re going to go back to 168 and go after the title as a mandatory challenger or maybe if the title becomes vacant,’’ Benavidez said.

That of course, depends on what Canelo decides. But it’s safe to assume he was watching.

Early on, what he and a roaring crowd saw was the Benavidez they witnessed at super-middle.

He came out in the first round, shuffling, side

to-side while displaying some newfound head movement.

His father and trainer, Jose Benavidez Sr. had promised a renewed emphasis on defense and his son didn’t disappoint, at least not through the first three minutes.

In the second and third, there were moments when the 27-year-old Benavidez made the 37-year-old Gvozdyk (20-2, 16 KOs) look stiff, if not awkward.

The Ukrainian wasn’t exactly a stationary target. But he was there, in front of Benavidez, and open to a wide variety of punches thrown at alternating angles and speeds.

Gvozdyk couldn’t dodge them all. Benavidez’ punches are like debris in a tornado. They’re coming from everywhere. Example: In the sixth round, it looked as if Gvozdyk had begun to find his range with straight-handed shots.

They were beginning to slow down Benavidez. But in a momentary switch of momentum, Benavidez unleashed a triple shot – three right hands, each from a different angle and all three travelling at a blinding velocity.

From round-to-later round, however, Gvozdyk was there, an edifice impossible to bring down. Benavidez tried in an apparent attempt to fulfill his promised knockout.

Instead of a KO, however, there was only fatigue to go along with another victory in his introduction to a bout that also provided a reminder: There’s a reason for weight classes.

Puello scores SD over Russell/Tank-Martin card

Alberto Puello survived.

He survived a penalty for holding.

He survived a scorecard that suggested he never had a chance.

Turns out, survival was sweet.

Puello scored a split decision over a stronger, quicker Gary Russell (17-1, 17 KOs) for an interim junior-welterweight belt Saturday on the Amazon Prime card featuring David Benavidez-OleksansdrGvodzykand Tank Davis-Frank Martin Saturday at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.

Puello (23-0, 10 KOs), of The Dominican Republic, won on two cards, 114-113 and 115-113. It was a close fight from almost every perspective but one. Judge David Hudson scored it for Russell, 118-109

It was a hard fight to watch. A hard fight to score, too.

But Carlos Adames (24-1, 18 KOs) did what he had to, keeping the World Boxing Council’s version of the middleweight title with a unanimous decision over Terrell Gausha Saturday on the Amazon Prime card featuring David Benavidez-Oleksandr Gvozdyk and Tank Davis-Frank Martin.

One-sided scorecards — 118-110, 119-109, 118-110 — make it sound as if Adames, of The Dominican Republic, had an easy day at the office. He didn’t. Gausha (24-4-1, 12 KOs) tested him repeatedly in the later rounds. But it was never quite  enough for the middleweight from Encino CA to sore an upset.

Kyrone Davis scores split-decision over Elijah Garcia

Elijah Garcia made the weight. 

But lost the fight.

Kyrone Davis (19-3-1, 6 KOs) took some of the promise out of Garcia’s ambitious career Saturday with a careful, yet effective pace Saturday, scoring  a split decision over the Phoenix middleweight in a bout that was preceded by controversy. 

Late Friday, there were doubts about whether the bout, already postponed once, would even happen. 

Garcia missed weight, coming in at 165.4 pounds and then 163. Davis was at 160.4. 

Davis trainer Stephen Breadman Edwards demanded that Garcia weigh-in again Saturday morning, a few hours before opening bell at MGM’s Grand Garden Arena.

Breadman threatened to cancel the bout if Gracia was heavier than 173 pounds in the morning weigh-in. He wasn’t. According to the official bout sheet, he was at 163.2. The fight was on, but the early pace belonged to Davis.

He came into the ring looking angry, perhaps anxious to take out some frustration on Garcia (16-1, 13 KOs). At opening bell, however, he exhibited only poise. He patiently measured the distance between him and Gracia with a jab.  Then, he followed with repeated rights.

For four or five rounds, Gracia looked tentative, perhaps because of the weight controversy or maybe because of  Davis’ tactical patience. 

Whatever it was, the slow start proved costly. Davis won on two cards, both by 97-93 scores. On the third card, it was 98-92 for Garcia, who stepped up the pace and his level of aggression, especially from the seventh through the 10th rounds. The Arizona southpaw moved forward, trying to walk down Davis while also landing a succession of head-rocking combos.

But, in the end, it wasn’t enough to save Garcia from his first pro defeat, a loss and perhaps a lesson for a young fighter

Magsayo wins one-sided decision

Mark Magsayo (26-2, 17 KOs), a Filipino junior-lightweight, scored a third-round knockdown and then scored repeatedly over the next seven rounds for a decision — as thorough as it was unanimous — over Mexican Eduardo Ramirez (28-4-3,13 KOs) in the sixth bout on the Tank-Martin card Saturday.

After Magsayo rocked Ramirez with an uppercut and then dropped him with a straight hand, Los Mochis fighter continued, but never with much purpose or energy in what what turned into a dull bout. 

Justin Viloria stays unbeaten, scores fifth-round TKO

Justin Villoria (6-0, 4 KOs), a 19-year-old junior-lightweight from Whittier CA, had all of the energy and most of the punches in overwhelming Mexican Angel Contreras Saturday on the Tank Davis-Frank Martin card.

Villoria knocked down Contreras (15-9, 9 KOs) in the fourth and again the fifth, both times with body punches. Seconds after the second knockdown, an exhausted Contreras took a knee, a TKO surrender at  2:02 of the fifth round.

Phoenix junior-featherweight impressive in pro debut

Hello, Brayan Gonzalez.

Gonzalez, a junior-featherweight from Phoenix, was impressive in his professional debut, scoring a first-round knockdown and staggering James Mulder again in the fourth in an afternoon bout hours before the Tank Davis-Frank Martin main event.. 

Mulder (0-2), of Antioch CA, never had a chance. Never scored a point either. It was 40-35 on all three cards, all for Gonzalez (1-0).

Benavidez-trained Blancas stays unbeaten with first-round stoppage

David Benavidez’ stable is 2-0 through the early fights on a card that will feature its star attraction Saturday night in a light-heavyweight debut against  Oleksandr Gvozdyk.

Daniel Blancas (10-0, 5 KOs), a super-middleweight from Milwaukee, didn’t waste any time, flashing Benavidez-like power with a sweeping hook for a first-round stoppage of German Aro Schwartz (23-8-1, 15 KOs). 

Ohio junior lightweight does enough to win majority decision

It was a hard fight to score. Neither fighter did much, but Peggy Whitmore (3-0), a junior-lightweight from Ohio, did more, winning a majority decision (39–37, 39-37, 38-38) over Mia Ellis (7-3, 6 KOs), of Baltimore, in the second bout on the Tank Davis-Frank Martin card

First Bell: Benavidez-trained featherweight opens marathon show with unanimous decision 

First bell sounded like a morning alarm.

It echoed through an empty arena, signaling a noon-time start to a card that eventually will feature David Benavidez-versus-Oleksandr Gvozydk in a light-heavyweight fight and Tank Davis-versus-Frank Martin for the lightweight title Saturday at the MGM’s Grand Garden Arena.

Reina Tellez (8-0-1, 5 KOs), a San Antonio featherweight and a fighter in the Benavidez stable, got the marathon started, winning a four-round, unanimous decision over a taller, yet slower Beta Dudek ((4-2, 4 KOs) of Slovakia.

By Norm Frauenheim

LAS VEGAS –David Benavidez promised.

And he punished.

He did to Demetrius Andrade what he did to David Lemieux and so many others. It was another moment in his demolition tour, an uninterrupted dominance of every super-middleweight other than the one he has been pursuing for so long.It was also another edition of the long-running message he has been delivering like punches at a machine-gun rate.

“Canelo, give the people the fight they want, Canelo Alvarez-versus-David Benavidez,” he said in the center of the ring to a roaring crowd just minutes after breaking down and breaking apart Andrade.

Who knows if Canelo was in the audience for Showtime’s final pay-per-view fight Saturday night at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob ULTRA Arena? If he was, however, he had to be impressed.

Andrade, unorthodox and unbeaten before opening bell, was simply undone by the aggressive Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs), who knocked him down with right hand in the fourth round and then battered him through the next two rounds. There are few fighters with Benavidez kind of momentum. 

Once he gets going, he’s a freight train rolling down a steep incline. Get the hell of his way. Andrade (32-1, 19 KOs) couldn’t. After six rounds, he had no option other than surrender.

At ringside, there was Mike Tyson, the former heavyweight great who gave Benavidez his current nickname, The Monster.

Benavidez, who emerges as the World Boxing Council’s mandatory challenger to Canelo, went over and hugged him, perhaps an embrace between the modern version of the monster Tyson once was.

“I’m the best and I’m going to be the best,” Benavidez told a crowd full of his fans from Phoenix, his hometown. “i’m going to be a legend.”

Tyson smiled.

Andrade didn’t argue.

No telling what Canelo thought

Charlo scores one-sided decision over Jose Benavidez

It was a fight preceded by insults, broken promises and fines. 

But the profanity didn’t matter. The broken promises were followed by fines. The fight went on after one fighter, Jermall Charlo, paid $75,000 for every pound heavier than a contracted catchweight.

After all of that, it was a fight that went the way it was expected to. Chaos was  the prediction. But there was none. 

A bigger man beat a smaller man. 

Charlo, a middleweight champion who hasn’t made a title defense in 29 months, beat Jose Benavidez Jr., a former junior-welterweight and welterweight contender.

Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) scored a unanimous decision. Saturday night at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob ULTRA Arena.  Argue with the score cards. The margins might have been too wide. The judges had it 98-92, 99-91 and 100-90. The third card, a shutout, seemed unfair to Benavidez (28-3-1, 19 KOs) who was never off his feet and appeared to make a competitive fight out of the early rounds.

But in the end, he simply wasn’t going to beat a fighter who was at least 15 pounds heavier. Charlo’s weight at opening bell wasn’t announced. He was ordered to be no more than 176 pounds at a secondary weigh-in Saturday morning, about 24 hours after he failed to make the 163-pound catch weight. Anything more than 176 pounds, would have cost him at least another $75,0000 per pound.

Whatever the final toll, he left the ring with his wallet a lot lighter. But that didn’t weaken his leverage-per-pound against a fighter who was simply too small to be in the ring with him.

Charlo knew that. After the scores were announced, he sounded more relieved than happy.

“Thank God, both of us are going home to our families healthy,” he said.

Benavidez, never a man with nothing to say before the fight, left the ring without a word. 

After a long 10 rounds, maybe there just wasn’t anything left to say. He was out of answers. Maybe, energy, too. 

Later, during an interview from his dressing room, he had this to say:

“He’s a good fighter, I’m not going to make any excuses. I came to fight. He said he was going to back me up and I didn’t back up. I kept coming forward. The best man won tonight.

“It’s boxing. I thought it was way closer than the judges’ said it was. At the end of the day I lost, and I’m not going to make any excuses.

“I don’t know if his extra weight had anything to do with it. Maybe. Maybe not. I came prepared. I gave my best. I’m going to take some time off – it’s the holidays. Of course, I’d like to run it back at the actual weight. At 160. If you weigh me right now I’m probably 165, and he still can’t do s— to me. It’s all good. I’m not worried about it. I gave it my all, and I came up short.”

Benavidez, ever fearless, opened the bout with abundant energy. He landed a straight right hand that bounced off Charlo’s face like a wicked tennis ball. It echoed throughout the arena. Benavidez also moved stubbornly forward, backing Charlo into the ropes and then into his corner. It was then, however, that Charlo answered with a flash of power, delivered like a pointed message from his bigger, stronger body.

Benavidez backed off. But his retreat didn’t go far. Didn’t last long either.

In the second and third, he continued his march into harm’s way, straight into Charlo’s dangerous wheelhouse. Charlo would throw a punch; Benavidez would counter with combos. The crowd roared. There was a chorus of chants.

Benavidez, Benavidez, was the lyric from fans who had traveled to Vegas from Phoenix, his hometown.

Jose, Jose.

Benavidez continued to give them hope with more combos and repeated bursts of energy. Increasingly, however, there were signs that the bigger blows from Charlo were beginning to have an impact.

In the seventh, Benavidez’ face bore the reddening signs of a bruising impact from Charlo’s punches. In the eighth, there were fewer combos from Benavidez. His hands began to drop. His chances began to diminish. It looked as if an energy crisis loomed. In the tenth, it landed, leaving with one more loss in his record and probably a purse fattened by a percentage of the fines paid by Charlo. 

Matias Retains Title with 6th Round Stoppage

Subtriel Matias is in the quitting business. Business is very good.

It continued uninterrupted and seemingly unstoppable Saturday,when Matias, the International Boxing Federation’s junior-welterweight champion, forced a fifth straight opponent to surrender Saturday night at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob ULTRA Arena.

This time, it was a wiry-like fighter from Uzbekistan, Shohjahom Ergashev.

Matias (20-1, 20 KOs), of Puerto Rico, endured his punches early and then exhausted him with his own, forcing his corner to say no-mas a couple of seconds after the bell sounded for the start of the sixth round.

Matias’ stubborn power, he said, is a result of the work his team has done. It’s also a result of patience followed by wild bursts of energy. Ergashev (23-1, 20 KOs) simply could not slow him down. 

Lamont Roach wins junior-lightweight crown

Wait and worry has been a story line to Lamont Roach’s career.

The story ended Saturday night.

He can quit waiting. For now, he can quit worrying.

Roach (24-1-1, 9 KOs) won, finally calming a junior-lightweight world title, with a split decision over Hector Garcia (16-2, 10 KOs) in a Showtime pay-per-view bout on the card featuring David Benavidez-Demetrius Andrade at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.

In an otherwise close bout, Roach took control in the final two rounds, knocking Garcia into the ropes with a piston-like punch in the eleventh and then scoring a debatable knockdown in the twelfth with a left to the back of Gracia’s head.

“I think I did enough,” said Roach, of Upper Marlboro MD, a winner on two scorecards, 116-111 and 114-113. “He played kind of a cat-and-mouse game .’

Garcia, who was  favored 114-113 on the third card, said he accepted the judging.

“I thought I won,” he said. “But they counted it as a knockdown in the twelfth. He hit me in the back of the head. Without that, it would have been different.”

Mercado scores junior-welterweight shutout

Mercado scores junior-welterweight shutoutFrom precision to poise, Israel Mercado had it all.

He used it all, too, scoring a four-round shutout of Wesley Rivers Saturday night on the non-televised portion of the the Benavidez-Andrade fight at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay.

Mercado (10-1-1, 8 KOs), a junior-welterweight from Pomona CA, scored at will from several angles in a one-sided decision over Rivers (4-4), of Dearborn Heights MI.

First-time winner

It wasn’t easy, but Alenn Medina finally moved into the win column.

Medina (1-1), a welterweight from Las Vegas, had just enough of an edge in aggression to get a majority decision over  Alex Holley (1-1), a Dallas fighter who landed in the loss column for the first time. 

In the fourth fight of the night Michel “Salsa Ali” Rivera 24-1 (14KOs) of Miami, FL took on Sergey Lipinets 17-2-1(13KOs) fighting out of Woodlands CA. The action began with Rivera establishing his Jab and keeping Lipinets off balance. Jabbing continued through the round and not much action from Lipinets. Sergey stepped it up in the second round as both fighters picked it up with the volume of punches. The third did not see too much of anything, just a warning from the referee about holding and hitting behind the head area. 

In the fourth — just as Rivera landed a stunning right — Lipinets came back in his own right, landing  a good left just as the round ended. Rivera once again wobbled his opponent. The fifth of the scheduled 10 was arguably the best round of the fight. Each fighter seemed to hurt one another — Lipinets with lefts and Rivera with rights. 

As the fight went into the later rounds the pace slowed.  Few meaningful punches landed. The fight went all 10 rounds and was a good showcase for Rivera. Rivera went on to win the unanimous decision — 97-93, 97-93, 96-94. Improving to 25-1 (14KOs)….By David Galaviz

Vito Mielnicki wins first round stoppage

Vito Mielnicki Jr. calls himself White Magic.

Saturday, he was White Lightning.

Mielnicki (16-1, 11 KOs) struck fast. Struck twice, all within the first round of the third bout Saturday on the Benavidez-Andrade card..

First, he dropped Alexis Salazar (25-6, 10 KOs), of Norwalk CA, with what looked like a glancing blow. Then, he struck with a head-rocking straight hand, finishing Salazar at 2:27 of the first round.. 

Jubin Chollet scores knockdown, wins split decision

It was timely, It was precise. It was the difference.

Jubin Chollet (9-0, 7 KOs), a lightweight from San Diego, needed a knockdown and he got one, flooring Jorge Perez (6-1, 2 KOs) with a beautifully-placed right hand in the fifth round of the second bout Saturday on the David Benavidez-Demetrius Andrade card. It was just enough for Cholley to win a split decision. He won 57-56 on two cards. It was 57-56 for Perez on the third.

First Bell: Daniel Blancas scores unanimous decision

The show opened In an arena filled with only chilly November temperatures and echoes from punches from super-middleweight Daniel Blancas and Raiko Santana.

In the end, the loudest shots were landed by Blancas (8-0, 4 KOs), a long and lanky Milwaukee fighter who won a 76-75, 78-73, 77-74 decision over Raiko Santana in a Saturday matinee, the opener on a car featuring David Benavidez and Demetrius Andrade at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob ULTRA Arena.

Blancas, who had Benavidez trainer Jose Benavidez in his corner, relied on his superior reach to keep Santana

(10-4, 6 KOs), of El Paso, at a distance.  

PLANT CITY, FL (May 20, 2022) – Super middleweight prospect, Daniel Blancas (1-0, 1 KO), returns to the ring tonight, May 20th against pro, Heinrich Coorssen Caceres, who will be making his pro debut. The 4-round bout will take place in Plant City, Florida on the undercard of Chinese Olympian and IBF No. 1 Contender Fanlong Meng, and former two-time light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal. The card is promoted by ProBox Promotions, streamed live on their ProBoxTV App.

“I am always excited to put on a show, and my pro debut lived up to all expectations as I got the knockout,” said Blancas. “I am fighting a man who is looking to shine in his pro debut, so I must be ready for anything he brings to the ring. I am expecting someone who could be a world champion one day, that is the mindset that I’m bringing into the ring. I’m not looking past anyone in this game.”

“Blancas is doing great in the gym and he’s had a wonderful training camp in Tampa,” stated Tim VanNewhouse, Blancas’ Manager. “I have no doubt that he will shine tonight and that he will continue to set the standard of promising young pros being groomed and developed under our stable.”

Blancas, who is well over six-feet tall, comfortably made the super middleweight limit of 168 pounds as he tipped the scale at 167 lbs. The 21-year-old Blancas, nicknamed “Iceman” looks to show the world why he was such a hotly talked about prospect in the amateurs.

“I want to be the best, a legend, and to do that I have to win fights in an impressive fashion,” concluded Blancas. “I started my career off with a great knockout and I wish to continue on that path of destroying my opponents. It is one fight at a time, but I am chasing greatness.”

CLE, OH (March 23, 2022) – Boxing manager Tim VanNewhouse has four fighters in action this Friday, March 25th, as ProBox Promotions, will put on a show at the ProBox Events Center in Plant City, Florida. Streamed live via their Youtube Channel beginning at 6:00 PM EST. Featherweight Jan Paul Rivera (pro debut), middleweight Darrelle Valsaint (2-0, 1 KO), super-middleweight Daniel Blancas (pro debut), and cruiserweight Najee Lopez (3-0, 3 KOs), will all be in-action.

Jan Paul Rivera, a featherweight and a highly ranked international amateur will be making his pro debut on this card.

“I am excited for the next steps in my career, and I have dreams of becoming a future world champion,” said the proud Puerto Rican fighter, Rivera. “I am looking to become a legend in the sport, and you only get one pro debut, so I want to make it as memorable as possible as I look to put on a show that everyone will enjoy.”

2020 Olympian Darrelle Valsaint is a Haitian middleweight who showed a lot of promise at every level of amateur boxing.

“I am ready to make my country proud,” stated Valsaint. “I want to represent my country on the world stage of professional boxing and bring a world title back to Haiti. Many think of me as a boxer, but I am more than that – I have a lot of intangibles such as power, speed, and other stuff people can’t explain.”

The six-foot, four-inch light heavyweight, Daniel Blancas is ready to show the world that he is here to take over his division.

“I am excited about this bout, and I look to show people that my style is better suited for the pros,” Blancas said. “I have a style that is hard to deal with for six, eight or ten rounds, and people would try to avoid me at the highest level of amateur boxing, and even then – most didn’t win. I look forward to showing the world what I can do.”

Finally, Cruiserweight Najee Lopez is looking to be the next great American cruiserweight. With only three pro fights, all coming by way of stoppage, Lopez is looking the part of a star, very early into his career. Lopez is going into this fight with confidence after recently defeating Alex Theran, who has fought at the world contender level.

“I am excited to show what I can do on this card and continue proving to the world that I am the next great cruiserweight,” said the 22-year-old power puncher Lopez. “I want to fight for a world title in the not-too-distant future, and ProBox, my manager, and my team as a whole are putting me in a position to be the face of this division. I am excited for the future and that will show on Friday.

The six-foot, four-inch light heavyweight, Daniel Blancas is ready to show the world that he is here to take over his division.

“I am excited about this bout, and I look to show people that my style is better suited for the pros,” Blancas said. “I have a style that is hard to deal with for six, eight or ten rounds, and people would try to avoid me at the highest level of amateur boxing, and even then – most didn’t win. I look forward to showing the world what I can do.”

“It’s been a pleasure working with all of these talented fighters. This group has over 500 amateur bouts between them and all of the makings to become a force in their division. Although it’s very early in their careers I have a huge trajectory for them all. Friday night we will see all the hard work come to light.

CLEVELAND, OH (January 18, 2022) – Established boxing manager, best known for his eye for talent and guiding amateurs into the pros, Tim VanNewhouse, has signed Milwaukee’s own Daniel Blancas, a six-foot, four-inch middleweight who was a 13-time national champion.

“I wanted to start my career off right, and I know Tim VanNewhouse will guide me the best way possible,” said Blancas, who is just 20-years old. “It’s all about working with the right people, and I believe we have built a strong team. I am ready to make my pro debut and take the steps necessary to follow my dream of becoming a world champion.”

“Blancas is huge for the weight class and has good power to go with his height,” said VanNewhouse, who’s stable includes prospects Najee Lopez, Darrelle Valsaint, Jan Paul Rivera and Tommy Wu. “I’ve been following Daniel for many years. He entered the sport at just 8 years old. He has a wonderful father and family pushing him to be the best he can be. He is a charming young fighter who is physically gifted with good ability. Soon everyone will see his fan-friendly style and I expect we will see a bunch of knockouts from him”.

“I had a style that was better suited for the pros. We considered many offers from several managers, but my dad and I knew we wanted to work with Tim.” concluded Blancas. “I appreciate my time competing for USA Boxing, but that time has come and gone, and I feel I went as far as I could. Now it is time for me to establish myself as one of the best young fighters in the pros and I am ready to prove it.”

Blancas’s promotional deal and pro debut will be announced in the coming weeks.