On February 1, 2003, Carlos Hernandez faced David Santos at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas for the vacant IBF World Super Featherweight Title. The event, promoted by Top Rank and televised on HBO PPV, saw Hernandez enter the ring with a record of 37 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw, while Santos came in with a record of 42 wins and 5 losses. Hernandez weighed in at 129½ lbs, slightly heavier than Santos at 128½ lbs.
The bout was competitive but came to an early conclusion due to an accidental head butt in the eighth round. The clash caused a significant cut on Santos, leading referee Tony Weeks to halt the fight at 2:52 of the round. Following the stoppage, the fight went to the scorecards for a technical decision. Judges Bill Graham, Robert Ferrara, and Robert Hoyle scored the bout 78-73, 77-74, and 77-74 respectively, all in favor of Hernandez, who was then declared the winner and new IBF World Super Featherweight Champion.
