Errol Spence Jr. added the WBA Welterweight title to his WBC and IBF collection by stopping Yordenis Ugas in round 10 of a thrilling fight in front of nearly 40,000 fans at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The fight was fought mostly toe-to-toe with both guys digging to the body. Spence was pinpoint with his uppercut, Ugas tried to match that and also was effective with a right around the guard.
In round six, Ugas landed a big right that rocked Spence and made the moutpiece go flying. Spence asked for time but Ugas was right on top of Spence and pounded away for his best moment of the fight. That seemed to wake Spence up as he started landing massive left hands that started to swell the right eye of Ugas. That was the turning point of the fight as Spence was relentless with his pressure as he hurt Ugas several more times with big flurries. With each round, the eye worsened for Ugas. In round eight, the doctor looked at the eye of Ugas, but The Cuban was able to continue. He continued to take more punishment until the middle of round 10 as the fight was stopped on the advice of the ringside physician.
Spence, 146,25 lbs of DeSoto, TX is now 28-0 with 22 knockouts. Ugas, Santiago de Cuba, CUB is 27-5.
Isaac Cruz pummels Gamboa in Five
Former world title challenger Isaac Cruz scored four knockdowns en-route to a fifth round stoppage over former unified champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in a 10-round lightweight fight.
In round two, Cruz sent Gamboa to the canvas with a huge three punch combination. In round three, it was a left hook that dropped Gamboa. In round four, Cruz scored a hard knockdown with a left hook. Cruz mercifully ended things when he landed a big overhand right knocked Gamboa into the ropes and the fight was called off at 1:32.
Cruz, 134.75 lbs of Mexico City is 23-2-1 with 16 knockouts. Gamboa, 134.25 lbs of Guantanamo, CUB is 30-5.
Jose Valenzuela Destroys Vargas in First Round
Jose Valenzuela annihilated former world champion Francisco Vargas in the opening round of their 10-round lightweight bout.
Valenzuela landed a booming left that sent Vargas to the canvas and the fight was stopped at 1:25.
Valenzuela, 134.75 lbs of Los Mochis, MX is 12-0 with eight knockout. Vargas, 134.25 lbs of Mexico City is 27-4-2.
Cody Crowley Decisions Josesito Lopez
Cody Crowley remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Josesito Lopez in a welterweight bout.
In round seven, Crowley dropped Lopez with a right hook to the head. In round nine, the left eye of Lopez started to swell.
Crowley landed 205 of 812 punches; Lopez was 116 of 443.
Crowley, 144.5 lbs of Pieterborough, ONT CAN, won by scores of 99-90 and 98-91 twice and is now 21-0. Lopez, 146.3 lbs of Riverside, CA is 38-9.
Stanionis Wins WBA Welterweight title with Decisions over Butaev
Eimantas Stanionis won the WBA Welterweight title with a 12-round split decision over Radzhab Butaev.
In round 11, Butaev was deducted a point for holding the head and hitting Stanionis.
Stanionis landed 222 of 621 punches; Butaev was 140 of 747.
Stanionis, 146.5 lbs of Lithuania won by scores of 117-110 and 116-111. Butaev took a card 114-113.
Stanionis 14-0. Butaev, 146.5 lbs of Russia is 14-1.
“I still can’t believe it,” Stanionis said afterward. “It was a dream come true to hear ‘and the new.’ When I was a kid, I visualized what this would look like and how it would feel to become a champion. It’s because of the hard work, dedication, belief in myself and my team to get me to this big stage. I just want to tell everybody that dreams do come true. If you believe in it and give your everything, it will happen.”
“The fight went like this because the referee allowed Stanionis to fight with his head down the entire time,” Butaev said. “What can I do if the guy is leading with his head down all the time? I don’t know why he took away a point from me. They should have taken the point away from him because he was diving in the whole time.”
Brandun Lee Decisions Ochoa
Brandun Lee remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Zachary Ochoa in a junior welterweight bout
In round five, Ochoa began to bleed from his nose.
Lee landed 103 of 575 punches. Ochoa was 70 of 328.
Lee, 141.25 lbs of La Quinta, CA won by scores of 99-91 twice and 98-92 and is now 24-0. Ochoa, 141.25 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 21-3.
“I think that only two rounds were close, the seventh and maybe the ninth,” Lee said. “It was exactly what I expected. Perhaps I could have performed better, my combinations been a bit sharper, but it was a good fight overall. Fighting at AT&T Stadium was a blessing. Wow, what an experience. It motivates me even more to come back here and be a headliner one day. I want to be a world champion at 140, unify titles, become undisputed and then become a world champ at 147.”
“Brandun Lee is a really good fighter, a strong fighter,” Ochoa said. “I feel I was doing really well. He caught me a little bit, but I kept my confidence, my poise and when it was time to step it up the last three rounds, I started putting the pressure on him and we went at it. I went all out. He’s never had it like that. I only got hurt one time, maybe at the end of the seventh. I know I buzzed him too.”
