SAN ANTONIO – Ramon Cardenas contended well enough with Michell Banquez’s pressure throughout their 10-round fight Saturday night to remain in contention for a bantamweight title shot.

The San Antonio native beat Banquez by unanimous decision on the non-televised portion of the Mark Magsayo-Rey Vargas undercard at Alamodome. All three judges – Jesse Reyes (97-93), David Sutherland (97-93) and Ursolo Perez (96-94) – scored their competitive contest for Cardenas.

The 26-year-old Cardenas (21-1, 10 KOs), the WBA’s fifth-ranked contender for bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue, won a ninth straight fight.

Venezuela’s Banquez (20-2, 14 KOs) seemed stunned when ring announcer Miguel Flores stated that Cardenas had won. The 32-year-old Banquez’s six-fight winning streak ended.

Banquez unknowingly needed a knockout entering the final round.

Cardenas landed a left hook with just over 40 seconds to go in that final round. Banquez held him soon thereafter to catch his breath.

Banquez cracked Cardenas with a right hand with just over 1:20 to go in the ninth round, but Cardenas took it well.

Cardenas defended himself well during the eighth round, when he slipped many of an aggressive Banquez’s punches. The sixth and seventh rounds appeared competitive, but neither fighter landed the type of punches that hurt his opponent.

Banquez stunned Cardenas with a left hook a few seconds before the bell sounded to end the fifth round.

Cardenas knocked Banquez off balance with a left hook in the fourth round, but Banquez regained his foot and continued to press forward. Banquez was warned for hitting Cardenas on the back of his head toward the end of the fourth round.

Banquez caught Cardenas with a sweeping left hook as Cardenas moved backward during the third round.

Banquez pressed the action again during the second round, but Cardenas craftily caught him with several counter right hands during those three minutes.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for krikya360.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.