Jose “Tito” Sanchez won a unanimous decision over veteran Erik Ruiz in a 10-round junior featherweight bout in the main event Thursday at Fantasy Springs Casino and Resort in Indio, California. 

The judges saw the fight the same, with scores of 97-92 submitted by all three officials.

Sanchez (13-0, 7 KOs), of Cathedral City, California, was coming off three wins in 2023 – including a thrilling decision over Walter Santibanes last December to avenge his teammate, Manny Flores.

The fight started slowly. Ruiz (17-11-1, 7 KOs), of Oxnard, California, controlled the first two rounds with his jab, but once Sanchez got warmed up, the fight changed. Sanchez dropped Ruiz in the third round, set up by a hook that visibly rocked Ruiz. Although he made it out of the round, Ruiz seemed to have little hope the rest of the way.

Power punching was the difference, as Sanchez walked down Ruiz, who lacked the heft behind his punches to keep Sanchez honest. Ruiz, a crafty veteran, pot-shot, shoe-shined and was even willing to take some punishment down the stretch – but the margin between the fighters grew increasingly as the fight wore on.

Referee Thomas Taylor informed Ruiz’s corner after Round 7 that the leash their fighter was being allowed to continue was getting shorter, and Ruiz responded with one of his best rounds in the eighth.

Despite Sanchez unloading a lot of power shots, Ruiz showed up to offer professional resistance and go the rounds to the final bell. Sanchez looked for the stoppage until the end, but he wasn’t able to turn the trick in front of his hometown crowd.