Photo By Carlos Baeza/Thompson Boxing

Junior lightweight Michael Dutchover (8-0, 5 KOs) delivered an impressive performance in his main event debut Saturday night from the Doubletree Hotel in Orange, Calif.

Dutchover, 20, thoroughly out boxed and outmaneuvered solid prospect Ricardo Lopez (7-2-2, 6 KOs) to the tune of a one-side, unanimous decision win (scores: 59-55 all around).

“I felt like I controlled the entire fight from beginning to end,” remarked Dutchover, who is co-promoted by Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing. “He tried to come on late in the fight, but it was too late for him. I had already figured him out.”

Indeed, Dutchover put his stamp on the fight from the outset. The first three rounds consisted of the Texas native firing shots from a variety of angles. Lopez, who is based in Tijuana, Mex., tried to get back in the game in the fourth and fifth rounds, but Dutchover used his counter punching ability to stymie the attack.

Prior to the fight, Dutchover promised to show off a more polished skill set after recently working as the chief sparring partner to world champion Oscar Valdez. He certainly looked like the high-end prospect that many predicted he would become once his impressive amateur run came to a close.

“I wanted to be smart out there,” said Dutchover after the fight. “You can’t overwhelm everyone with natural ability. At some point you’re going to have to think your way out of a tough situation. I think I showed off my ring IQ tonight [Saturday].”