On Friday night, Mario Santiago let his hands do all the talking at the Chumash Resort and Casino in Santa Ynez, California, as he dominated Sal Garcia over seven rounds.

The bout headlined a six-bout "ShoBox: The New Generation" card, presented by Gary Shaw Productions.

Boxing analysts and insiders considered Garcia a strong test for Santiago. He was unbeaten in his last five bouts and had defeated young prospects along the way in Carlos Valcarcel and Juan Ramon Cruz. However, Santiago showed why he is one of the best featherweight prospects in the world by out-boxing Garcia.

Rather than trade with Garcia, the southpaw Santiago was able to move in and out of Garcia's reach, landing combinations to the head. As the bout progressed, Santiago was able to time Garcia well and counter to the head.

Garcia is known as a slow starter, but did not pick up the pace even in the third and fourth rounds. Many of the punches he did throw were blocked by Santiago.

Santiago picked up the pace in the fifth round and began to land more vicious left crosses to the face. Garcia was not visibly hurt, but his confidence was dropping as the bout progressed.

In the seventh round, Santiago had Garcia trapped in a corner and landed vicious combinations. Garcia looked for any reason to get out of the fight and he was able to receive one when his corner threw in the towel, prompting referee Jon Schorle to stop the bout at 1:51 of the round.

With the victory, Santiago has won his last five bouts by knockout. Santiago was modest in explaining what was successful for him. "I fought a good fight. I was in very good condition because of my strong preparation for this fight. I knew he was going to box, but I trained hard as though I was fighting a 12 round fight. I knew I was going to get stronger as the bout progressed."

Santiago, from Ponce, Puerto Rico, improves to 17-0, 12 KOs, while Garcia, from Los Angeles, drops to 14-4-2, 7 KOs.

In the co-feature, Junior Welterweight Timothy Bradley overcame his greatest challenge to date by winning an eight-round technical unanimous decision over Jaime Rangel.

It was a good test for Bradley, as he was facing an opponent who had fought for a world title against Zab Judah in 2003. Despite having lost his last five bouts, Rangel came to win.

Bradley started out well and was able to out-box Rangel during the first two rounds. Rangel wanted to counter Bradley, but Bradley was able to land right hands across the face behind his jab.

It was in the third that Rangel used his craftiness to land a counter left cross to the chin of Bradley that momentarily stunned him. Rangel tried to follow up, but Bradley was able to weather the storm.

Bradley was busier and more effective on the inside in the fourth and fifth rounds. Whenever he was not inside, Bradley was able to box more by moving to his left and using his jab to set up his right hand.

However, Rangel came back in the sixth round by pressuring Bradley and was able to connect with looping left hands to the head and body. What made it easier for Rangel was that Bradley had his hands low, allowing him to come in and hit Bradley with left hands.

Rangel began to slow down as he looked winded in the last two rounds.

An accidental headbutt in the eighth round caused a cut over the right eye of Rangel. Referee Raul Caiz stopped the fight on the advice of the ringside physician, and under California rules, the eighth round was scored.

All three judges scored the bout 79-73 for Bradley. FightNews scored it 78-74 for Bradley.

Afterwards, Bradley admitted that the fight did open his eyes to the level of competition in the junior welterweight division.

"I definitely learned a lot in this fight," said Bradley, whose nickname is the "Desert Storm." "He's a fighter who is at a different level. He had a lot of experience with over 40 fights. He's a craft lefty. He did stun me with an overhand left hand, but I was in control of my body."

Asked what he takes away from this fight, Bradley replied, "I just need to slow it down. I need to control my energy. This was a good fight for me. I did have pressure with national television, but I did all right."

Gary Shaw, who co-promotes Bradley with Thompson Boxing Promotions, added, "This was a major step up for him. We knew he was going to be a little tight because of national television, but he needs to loosen up and not showboat so much in the ring."

Bradley, from Palm Springs, California, improves to 17-0, 10 KO's, while Rangel, from Miami, Florida, by way of Cordoba, Colombia, falls to 30-10-1, 26 KOs.

Welterweight Jose Antonio Ojeda and Irving Garcia fought to a third round technical draw because of an accidental headbutt to the eye of Ojeda.

Both fighters landed solid shots, but it was Garcia who landed the more effective punches in the shortened fight. Garcia continuously found a home with his right hand. Garcia also countered effectively over Ojeda jabs, landing well to the head.

As Ojeda was stepping up the pressure and moving towards Garcia, both fighters collided heads. A nasty cut opened over the left eye of Ojeda that prompted referee Jerry Cantu to stop the fight in the third round on the advice of the ringside physician.

Because the fight did not go the required three complete rounds in a scheduled eight round bout, the bout was declared a technical draw. This upset the crowd as most were pulling for Ojeda, who lives half an hour from the casino.

Ojeda, from Santa Maria, California by way of Michoacan, Mexico, goes to 14-5-3, 8 KOs, while Garcia, from Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, moves to 14-2-1, 7 KOs.

Junior Welterweights Americo Santos and Jorge Padilla fought to a third round technical draw as Padilla also suffered a cut over his left eye because of an accidental headbutt.

The shorter Padilla was controlling the bout against Santos, but as both fighters moved in during an exchange in the third round; their heads collided, creating a cut over Padilla's left eye. Referee Jon Schorle stopped the action on the advice of the ringside physician.

Santos, from Garland, Texas, goes to 25-1-1, 21 KO's and Padilla, from Mexico City, DF, Mexico, goes to 7-3-2, 1 KO.

Junior Middleweight James Kirkland knocked down David Toribio three times, the final time for good in the fourth round of a scheduled eight-round bout.

The southpaw Kirkland was in control the whole time as he landed hard punches to the head of Toribio. Although outgunned, Toribio tried to fight back, but could not match the firepower that Kirkland had.

Kirkland dropped Toribio twice in the third round, with vicious shots to the head. Toribio did not back down and continued fighting on until the round ended.

However, a hard shot to the body by Kirkland dropped Toribio to the canvas. Toribio winced in pain as referee Jerry Cantu immediately stopped the fight at 1:35 of the round.

Kirkland, from Austin, TX, improves to 17-0, 15 KOs. Toribio, from Miami, Florida, drops to 13-7, 7 KOs.

Super featherweight Eduardo Escobedo broke open a close fight to stop Barbaro Zepeda in the sixth round of a scheduled eight round fight.

It was a close fight between the more polished Escobedo and the tough Zepeda. Escobedo, trained by Nacho Beristan, hurt Zepeda with a combination to the head and battered him until the referee stepped in and stopped the bout at 2:53 of the round.

Escobedo, from Jarrell, Texas, by way of Mexico City, DF, Mexico, improves to 18-2, 12 KOs. Zepeda, from Chicago by way of San Luis Obispo, Mexico, drops to 7-9-1, 2 KOs.

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