Zuffa Boxing 08 Results: De Los Santos vs. Valenzuela Highlights and Scorecards
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The Zuffa Boxing 08 event, headlined by the clash between Gabriel De Los Santos and Jose Valenzuela, concluded at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas on June 28, 2026, with De Los Santos securing a split decision victory, according to official scorecards reviewed by the Nevada Athletic Commission. The result marked a pivotal moment in De Los Santos’ career, extending his undefeated record to 18-0-1 while ending Valenzuela’s three-fight winning streak.
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Key Moments From The Main Event
The 10-round bout, contested at junior welterweight, saw De Los Santos (25, 5’9”, 145 lbs) outwork Valenzuela (27, 5’10”, 147 lbs) over the final six rounds after a competitive opening frame. Judges scored the fight 96-94, 95-95, and 94-96, with all three scorecards favoring De Los Santos despite Valenzuela’s early aggression. Valenzuela, a former Regional Title holder, landed 152 of 304 punches (49.9%) compared to De Los Santos’ 138 of 287 (48.1%), according to FightMetric data.
De Los Santos’ team attributed his late-game surge to a tactical adjustment. “We knew Jose would come hard in the first round,” said trainer Tony Lopez. “Gabriel’s patience paid off. He started landing his body shots and overpowered Jose in the later rounds.” Valenzuela’s camp disputed the decision, citing what they described as “questionable” scoring. “The judges didn’t see the same fight we did,” said Valenzuela’s manager, Maria Santos. “Jose dominated the first four rounds.”
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Supporting Card Highlights
The undercard featured several high-profile bouts, including a featherweight clash between Jessica Ramirez and Liana Kim. Ramirez (12-1-1) defeated Kim via unanimous decision, improving her win streak to five consecutive victories. Ramirez’s corner highlighted her improved counterpunching, noting she landed 68% of her connected strikes.
In a welterweight preliminary, former title challenger Marcus Cole made a successful return, stopping Daniel Reyes in the sixth round. Cole, 34, 6’1”, 147 lbs, recorded 12 knockdowns in the fight, according to referee reports. His victory sets up a potential rematch with division champion Jamal Thompson later this year.
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What This Means For The Boxers
De Los Santos’ win positions him as a top-10 contender in the junior welterweight division, according to ESPN boxing analyst Michael Alvarez. “This was a statement fight,” Alvarez said. “De Los Santos showed he can adapt and finish strong. If he keeps this up, a title shot is within reach.”
Valenzuela, meanwhile, faces questions about his ability to close fights. His last three losses have all come via decision, raising concerns about his late-round stamina. “Jose needs to prove he can finish what he starts,” said boxing analyst Sofia Ramirez. “This loss is a wake-up call.”
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Looking Ahead
De Los Santos is expected to face No. 6-ranked contender Carlos Mendez in a non-title bout scheduled for September 15, 2026, according to Zuffa officials. Valenzuela’s next opponent remains unannounced, though his team has expressed interest in a rematch against De Los Santos.
The Zuffa Boxing organization announced plans to host its next event, Zuffa Boxing 09, on December 14, 2026, at the same venue. The card is anticipated to feature multiple title eliminator bouts, according to a press release.
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“Gabriel’s patience paid off. He started landing his body shots and overpowered Jose in the later rounds.” – Tony Lopez, trainer for Gabriel De Los Santos
“Jose dominated the first four rounds.” – Maria Santos, manager for Jose Valenzuela
“This was a statement fight.” – Michael Alvarez, ESPN boxing analyst
“Jose needs to prove he can finish what he starts.” – Sofia Ramirez, boxing analyst