Manuel Flores (left) lands a left hand on Victor Olivo en route to a 1st round knockout on October 24 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California. Photo Credit: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Promotions
It was another early night at the office for Manuel Flores.
The resurgent bantamweight prospect scored his fourth consecutive early knockout. Flores stopped Victor Olivo at 1:50 of the first round Thursday at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif.
The Golden Boy on DAZN Fight Night headline even saw Flores go right to work. Olivo never had time to get into first gear and was quickly sent to the canvas courtesy of a body shot. Referee Thomas Taylor issued the full ten count as Olivo was unable to continue.
Flores (19-1, 15 KOs) has now stopped each of his last four opponents. The previous trio all took place in the second round for the 26-year-old from nearby Coachella.
“I feel good,” said Flores. “It was only one lap, so I feel good, I can go again. I give myself a B today, I should have stopped him earlier.”
Olivo fell to 21-5-1 (9 KOs) with the loss.
Flores’ lone loss came in a ten-round decision to Walter Santibanes (12-3, 2 KOs) last June 8 in this very venue. ‘Gucci Manny’ has fought here seven times and has quickly emerged as a hometown favorite.
The same can be said for Grant Flores, Manny’s younger cousin. All seven of his pro bouts have been held here, including a six-round virtual shutout of Puerto Rico’s Luis Ramos, 7-5-1 (7 KOs) in their junior middleweight outing.
The scores were 60-53, 60-53 and 59-54 for Flores (7-0, 5 KOs), who went the distance for only the second time.
Undefeated featherweight Jose ‘Tito’ Sanchez stayed perfect with an eighth-round knockout of Mexico’s Edwin Palomares.
The interplay match was entertaining throughout. Palomares (18-6-3, 9 KOs) took control early before Sanchez (14-0, 8 KOs) got ahead.
A flurry of power shots, ignited by an overhand right hand, floored Palomares in the eighth. It was enough to stop the fight at 0:53 of the eighth round.
Sanchez, a 24-year-old from Cathedral City, Calif., fought for the third straight time at Fantasy Springs and won.
