Junior lightweight prospect Austin Brooks is quickly making a name for himself.

Brooks, an amateur standout, knocked out Anthony Chavez in the sixth round Saturday night before a sold-out crowd of almost 2,000 at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington. 

The 27-year-old, who is originally from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and now resides in the San Diego, California suburb of La Mesa, improved to 11-0, 4 knockouts.

The southpaw Brooks and Chavez fought a tactical fight from the opening bell. Both had their moments, creating solid ebb and flow exchanges between the two. 

With about a minute left in the sixth round, Chavez backed into a corner, where Brooks connected with a left hand that dropped, ultimately dropping him to the canvas. Chavez beat the count, and tried to cover up Brooks threw and landed a barrage of punches, prompting referee Joel Scobie to step in and stop the fight at 2:43.

Brooks was a 2015 USA National Championships bronze medal winner. He has already fought on a handful of Top Rank shows. 

In his last bout on March 4, Brooks defeated Diuhl Olguin of Mexico by unanimous decision. 

Chavez, who resides in Redlands, California, falls to 11-4-1, 3 KOs. Also 27, Chavez had won his previous two fights after back-to-back decision defeats to Brandon Leon Benitez and once-beaten Jose Perez. 

In the co-feature, featherweight Gregory Cruz (5-2-1, 3 KOs) of nearby Seattle and Roberto Negrete fought to a split-decision draw. Each fighter won 58-56 on a judge’s scorecard, while the third judge scored the bout 57-57.

According to a ringside statistician, over 1,500 total punches were thrown between the two fighters. It was a back and forth fight that produced action up until the final bell.

Negrete, who resides in West Liberty, Iowa, falls to 4-1-2, 2 KOs.

Lightweight Lorenzo Caldera of Portland, Oregon improved to 7-0, 4 KOs, stopping former prospect Jake Bornea at 1:19 of the second round. 

Borneo, who resides in General Santos City in the Philippines, drops to 14-6-1, 7 KOs. The 28-year-old is now winless in his last five fights. 

In a clash of junior welterweights who reside in Southern California, Angel Rebollar of Compton defeated San Bernardino’s Esteban Munoz (7-4, 4 KOs) by split-decision over five rounds.

One judge scored the bout 48-47 for Munoz, while the two judges scored the bout 49-46 for Rebollar, who improved to 7-3, 3 KOs.

Welterweight prospect Axl Melendez Salgado (7-0, 4 KOs) won by disqualification at 1:46 of the fourth round over Riverside’s Lyle McFarlane (2-2, 1 KO) of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The card was co-promoted by Toro Promotions, Inc. and Whitfield Haydon Boxing.

Francisco A. Salazar has written for BoxingScene since September 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing