Michael Dutchover vs. Ivan Leon Benitez - June 6, 2021

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Press Release

Memorial Day weekend promises to start out with a bang, as junior welterweight Michael Dutchover will look to thrill his Lone Star State fans when he takes on Ivan Leon Benitez in the headlining 10-round bout of what will be an explosive night of boxing on Friday, May 28th at Reed Arena on the campus of Texas A&M University and LIVE and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®., the world’s leading streaming service for combat sports. The card will begin at 7 PM ET / 6 PM CT /4 PM PT.

The show is presented by Reed Arena and Texas A&M University and promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing.

Dutchover, of Midland, Texas, has a record of 14-1 with 10 knockouts. The 23- year-old turned professional five years ago.

Dutchover, known as the "West Texas Warrior," has wins over Miguel Cariozza (10-1); Ricardo Lopez (7-1-2); Bergman Aguilar (14-3-1); Rosekie Cristobal (15-3), and his last bout when he won an eight-round unanimous decision over Jorge Marron (18-1) on July 26th in Orange, California.

Dutchover is promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing.

"In December I was supposed to fight, but I had an injury, and things happen for a reason. I am back in California training and am excited to get back in the ring. There is no place that I would rather fight than in Texas. I will have fans there from Midland and all over the state. This is my fifth year as a professional, and this is the year that I become a contender," said Dutchover.

Benitez, of Cancun, Mexico, has a record of 14-4-1 with 6 knockouts.

Just 20 years old, Benitez is already a six-year professional. He has wins over two undefeated opponents and is coming off a draw with undefeated Francisco Javier Lopez Corrales (12-0) on December 8th in Mexico.

"I will have a difficult task ahead of me in fighting Dutchover, but May 28th will be my day. I will be prepared to give the fans a great show and to beat my opponent. This is what I work for everyday, and he will not derail my dreams of becoming a future champion," said Benitez.

Seeing action in the 10-round co-feature will be heavyweight Isaac Munoz Gutierrez.

Gutierrez of Mexicali, Mexico is undefeated with a record of 12-0-1 with 10 knockouts.

The 29-year-old Gutierrez, who will be making his United States debut, was a former amateur star in Mexico and competed in the World Series of Boxing.

Gutierrez has stopped his last six opponents and is coming off a first-round stoppage of 35-fight veteran Jesus Alberto Torres Martinez on September 7, 2019 Naucalpan, Mexico.

Seeing action in an 8-round bout will be undefeated lightweight, Miguel Madueno.

Madueno, 22-years-old from Orange, California, has an impressive record of 22-0 with 20 knockouts.

Madueno is a four-year professional who has shot up the prospect rankings with wins over Cristian Flores (7-1-2); Jesus Rendon (13-1-1); former world-title challenger Cosme Rivera; and his last bout when Madueno stopped Jesus Quintero Velarde in two rounds on December 18th in Sonora, Mexico.

Opening up the broadcast will see Jamshidbek Najmitdinov take part in an 8-round junior welterweight fight.

Najmitdinov, of Tashkent, Uzbekistan, has a record of 16-1 with 13 knockouts.

Najmitdinov is an eight-year professional who will be making his American debut.

Najmitdinov has been in several all-action fights, with a style that will appeal to the American audience. The only blemish on his record was a very disputed decision loss to former world champion Viktor Postol. That bout saw Najmitdinov go into the home country of Postol in the Ukraine, and Jamshidbek dropped Postol on two occasions and rocked him several other times during the fight, yet fell short on the judges' scorecards.

Najmitdinov is coming off a first-round stoppage over Giorgi Khutsishvili on October 6, 2019 to win the WBC CIS Title.

“UFC FIGHT PASS prides itself on being the destination for combat sports fans,” said Crowley Sullivan, Vice President and General Manager, UFC FIGHT PASS. “We’re thrilled to showcase the exciting talent from Banner Promotions to our subscribers. With boxers putting their undefeated records on the line, this action-packed event is one our subscribers won’t want to miss.”

"I am looking forward to working with UFC Fight Pass and Darren Davis with Reed Arena. We are very excited to be putting on this show to kick off a holiday weekend. This show promises to feature fan-friendly fights. When Michael Dutchover fights in Texas, it is always a great crowd, and we are excited about his continued ascent up the rankings. We also are looking forward to getting a glimpse of a future player in the heavyweight division in Isaac Munoz Gutierrez. The fans watching in the arena and around the world are in for a terrific night of boxing," said Banner Promotions President, Artie Pelullo.

"We are very happy to see the return of Michel Dutchover, and what better place than at the Reed Arena at Texas A&M. Michael will make a run for a world title and this is the best way to get him going," said Ken Thompson, President of Thompson Boxing.

“We are thrilled to be hosting this marquee fight with Banner Promotions. Adding to a growing list of exciting events we are bringing to Bryan-College Station, this fight will be one any boxing fan will not want to miss,” says Darren Davis, General Manager of Reed Arena.

“We couldn’t be happier to be working with Banner Promotions, to bring a championship event to a great Texas Arena. Reed Arena is going to be a great new venue for boxing, the Gig’Em spirit will be alive and well," said Daren Libonati of the Libonati Group.

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Press Release

Banner Promotions has announced that the May 28th boxing event it planned for on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, has been pushed back to Friday night, September 24th. No reason was provided for the four-month delay. The original plan was for Michael Dutchover (14-1 with 10 KOs) to battle Mexico's Ivan Leon Benitez (14-4-1 with 6 KOs) with UFC Fight Pass as the broadcaster.

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Press Release | Michael Dutchover vs. Ivan Benitez Headlines Next Edition of 3.2.1 Boxing on Sunday, June 6th in Corona, California

Junior welterweight, Michael Dutchover will return on Sunday, June 6th, as he faces Ivan Leon Benitez in the eight-round main event bout of a Thompson Boxing promoted 3.2.1 Boxing event at The Omega Products International Event Center in Corona, California.

Dutchover (14-1, 10 KOs), of Midland, Texas, who is co-promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing, is eager to return to the ring as the man known to fans as the “West Texas Warrior”, will look to continue his ascent up the rankings.

“I am happy to be back in the ring, making my 2021 debut. I have been training all year, but a couple dates fell out and finally looking to showcase my skills. I have not seen much of Benitez, but I know, he is game, and he is looking to take my spot,. He has nothing to lose, so I will have to take it to him. It’s all part of the game..”

Dutchover’s opponent, Benitez (14-4-1, 6 KOs), of Cancun, Mexico, is looking to spoil the show.

“People are largely discounting me in this fight,” said Benitez. “I have wins over two undefeated opponents, and I am coming off a draw against Francisco Corrales. I felt that I won that fight in December. I have never felt this good in my career, and I am ready upset the house fighter.”

The free stream will air live on the Thompson Boxing Promotions website (www.thompsonboxing.com), as well as their Facebook and YouTube pages. 3.2.1. and will start at 2:30 p.m. PT / 5:30 p.m. ET.

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Fight Week!

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Thompson Boxing Promotions Press Release

Thompson Boxing Promotions’ super lightweight prospect, Michael “The West Texas Warrior” Dutchover (14-1, 10 KOs), who is co-promoted with Banner Promotions, is scheduled to face Ivan Leon Benitez (14-4-1, 6 KOs) in an 8-round main event showdown this Sunday June, 6th, 2021, on the next edition of 3.2.1. Boxing.

The 6-round co-main event will feature undefeated super welterweight prospect, Richard “Cool Breeze” Brewart Jr. (9-0, 4 KOs), vs. Donte Stubbs (6-1, 2 KOs). The opening 6-round bout will feature Jose “Tito” Sanchez (6-0, 4 KOs) vs. Andrew Strode (6-0, 1 KO) in a battle of unbeaten featherweights.

The free stream will air live on the Thompson Boxing Promotions website (www.thompsonboxing.com), as well as their Facebook and YouTube pages. 3.2.1. Boxing will take place at the Omega Products International Event Center in Corona, CA, and will start at 2:30 p.m. PT / 5:30 p.m. ET.



Here is what Michael Dutchover had to say about his recent training camp, his matchup with Benitez, and more.

On his recent training camp:
“I’ve been working hard with my coach, Danny Zamora, and we had a great training camp. I am just really focused on getting to the next level, and it all starts with good training in the gym. It’s been almost a year since I last fought so I’m ready to unleash all the stuff I’ve been working on during this long layoff.”

On his matchup with Ivan Leon Benitez:
“He is a good fighter, who just had a draw against a guy who was undefeated. I’m sure he got better during the pandemic as a lot of fighters were training hard during their time off. I have to come in well-prepared and at the best of my abilities, as he has shown he can beat anyone on any given night. This is a great test for me and I’m confident I’ll be able to win this fight.”

On making his 2021 debut:
“I am really excited to get back in the ring, this past year has been hard on everyone, and I have had to battle back from a few things myself. When boxing is in my life everything else falls into place, and I am so happy to be back in the ring in this Sunday."

On fighting on 3.2.1 Boxing:
“I love what Thompson Boxing and Banner Promotions has done for me. Even though there won’t be any fans in attendance, I love the atmosphere of the 3.2.1. Boxing shows. I’m grateful just to be fighting and thankful that all my friends and family back home will be able to watch live on the internet.”

Ivan Benitez gives his thoughts on his recent training camp, his matchup with Dutchover and more.

On his recent training camp:
“This is a big opportunity for me to get my career back on track and I put a lot of hard work into this training camp. I worked very hard as this is a big moment in my life. This will be the best fight of my career. I’m in great shape and I’m going to give Dutchover hell.”

On his matchup with Michael Dutchover:
“Dutchover is a great fighter with a lot of confidence, but I found myself as a fighter in my last fight. I am now much more different than ever before, and everyone watching will see the improvements I’ve made. I respect Michael Dutchover, but I’m going to win this fight.”

On making his 2021 debut:
“You know it is good to be back since I discovered a lot of things about myself in my last fight, and the longer you stay out of the ring, the more you lose it. I fought in December of 2021 and I am ready to shock the world with a victory.”

On fighting on 3.2.1 Boxing:
“It is always a great honor to fight on a Thompson Boxing card, they treat the fighters well and offer high-quality boxing shows. I love whenever I get the call to fight on their cards because I know there will be some good quality fights. 3.2.1. Boxing has staged some great fights of late and I going to bring an exciting fight to the show myself.”

Beto Duran will operate as the blow-by-blow commentator with expert commentary by Doug Fischer and Steve Kim. Jessica Rosales will serve as the onsite ringside reporter.

3.2.1 Boxing is sponsored by Thompson Building Materials, transforming spaces in beautiful places; Omega Products International, the leading stucco manufacturer in the United States; Henry / Fortifiber, moisture system control as easy as 1,2,3, and Makita, rule the outdoors.

For more information, regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com. You can also follow the conversation on social media, please use #321Boxing and #ThompsonBoxing.

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Dutchover Wins and Other Results

After nearly one year Michael Dutchover returned to the prize ring with a solid performance over Mexican veteran Ivan Leon to win by unanimous decision on Sunday afternoon.

The Texas lightweight Dutchover (15-1, 10 KOs) met Leon (14-5-1, 6 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight match at the Omega Products International bubble in Corona, California. After a sluggish start he returned to form.

It was nearly two years ago that Dutchover lost a technical decision to Thomas Mattice after suffering a bad cut that forced a stoppage in the eighth round. What made it worse, he was fighting at his Midland, Texas hometown for the first time. The loss due to a cut could have been devastating.

Once again Dutchover suffered a cut, but this time because of an accidental clash of heads. It was not severe enough to stop the fight. And that was a good thing because after a very slow first round Dutchover looked better and better.

“I can fight with a cut,” Dutchover said.

Leon quickly started the fight by matching blows with Dutchover after every exchange. But the Texan soon adapted and was firing back with three-punch combinations and a left hook chaser. It connected every time.

It was apparent that Dutchover was the more skilled fighter and that proved the difference against Leon who was never hurt, and never waning in aggressiveness. No knockdowns were scored with two judges scoring it 80-72 and a third 78-74 all for Dutchover.

“He has 20 fights and been around,” said Dutchover of Leon. “I knew he was going to bring it and he did.”

Brewart

A super welterweight match between Inland Empire rivals saw Richard Brewart Jr. out-box Donte Stubbs after six contested rounds.

Before the actual fight the two exchanged words and stares. Brewart hails from Rancho Cucamonga but trains in Riverside. Stubbs lives and trains in Riverside. They know each other well.

From the opening bell Stubbs powered up on his punches while Brewart stuck to firing quick three-punch combinations to the body and head and moving out of range. It proved to be successful for Brewart

Around the fourth round Stubbs stuck a good jab through Brewart’s guard and used shorter blows and suddenly was connecting. The next two rounds were extremely close but Brewart kept scoring with those three-punch combinations. A body shot in the fifth and sixth by Brewart seemed to affect Stubbs and slowed his attack.

“In the last round I caught him with a couple of body shots,” said Brewart.

After six rounds two judges scored it 60-54 and a third saw it 58-56 all for Brewart.

Brewart enjoyed the close competition and looks forward to more.

“A lot of guys are getting babied,” Brewart said. “I fought three prospects back-to-back.”

Featherweights

In a featherweight fight Jose “Tito” Sanchez (7-0, 5 KOs) won by technical knockout at 1:40 of the third round over Colorado’s Andrew Strode (6-1) to win the battle of undefeated.

Sanchez fights out of Cathedral City, California.

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“I’m glad the fight went the distance,” said Dutchover, who is trained by Danny Zamora and co-promoted by Thompson Boxing and Banner Promotions. “I was feeling a little tired after the fourth round. I go cut in round 6 because of a mistake I made going forward.

“I need these types of fights against these types of fighters. (Benitez) had 20 fights. He’s been around. I’m glad he brought it to me today (inside the ring). I needed that. I give myself a C-. I’m hard on myself. I need to learn from these mistakes to be better when I fight again in September.”

[ironbeard]

Gotta love the kid’s attitude.