LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – It was not pretty, but lightweight contender Andres Cortes was successful in his lightweight debut, scoring a unanimous decision over Eridson Garcia in the ten-round main event of Zuffa Boxing 05 at the Meta Apex on Sunday night.
Neither fighter imposed themself in the opening rounds and the fight was a bit of a clunky southpaw-orthodox clash for much of the contest. Both fighters had trouble finding their range and proper footing, as they smothered their offense in close for much of the bout.
Cortes (25-0, 13 KOs) of Las Vegas had more facets and Garcia (23-2, 14 KOs) of Houston, Texas never found a rhythm over the ten rounds.
Garcia, 135, was deducted a point for excessive holding in the fourth, which seemed to momentarily light a spark for both fighters, as action picked up in the immediate aftermath.
Cortes, 135, landed with an overhand right early in the fifth and closed the sixth pressing the action after some of the more heated exchanges in the bout began the round. The overhand right was a consistent weapon for Cortes, including in the seventh. By the eighth, Garcia looked a bit dejected and Cortes continued to potshot and evade or get so far inside that neither really had a clear opening.
In the end, all three official judges scored the bout for Cortes, as judge Steve Weisfeld had it 97-92, judge Max DeLuca had it 96-93 and judge Patricia Morse Jarman had it close, 95-94.
Cortes, who entered the bout as the WBO #4/WBC #5 ranked super featherweight, called out Mark Magsayo, who was impressive in the co-feature, as they have now positioned themselves as two of the top lightweights on the Zuffa Boxing roster.
Former featherweight title holder Mark Magsayo (29-2, 19 KOs) of Las Vegas by way of Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines looked sensational in scoring a one-sided fifth-round stoppage of former title challenger Feargal McCrory (17-2 9 KOs) of New York, New York by way of Coalisland, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
Magsayo, 134, controlled much of the first and second with his speed and combinations, including doubling up on the right hand to great effect. Before the end of the first, McCrory, 135, was bloodied above the right eye. The Filipino was also an elusive target for McCrory’s return attempts throughout the fight.
Magsayo continued his boxing masterclass in the third, landing combinations to the body and head and getting out of danger when McCrory would find a moment to fire back. Magsayo continued to be too quick for McCrory in the fourth, as the Irishman could not keep up with his opponent’s varied offense and ring generalship on defense. Late in the round, Magsayo uncorked an overhand right that sent McCrory reeling to the ropes. Magsayo closed the round punishing the Irishman with both hands. McCrory roared towards the crowd at the bell after absorbing the beating, showing his toughness.
It would be a moot demonstration, as McCrory’s corner signaled to referee Robert Hoyle to call a halt to the bout at the first sign of trouble in the opening moments of fifth, much to the dismay of McCrory, who kicked his mouthpiece across the ring in disgust.
The time of the stoppage came at 21 seconds of round five. Magsayo, who entered as the IBF #5/WBO #12 ranked lightweight, looks to have adapted well to the 135-pound weight class.
Fighting one-handed for much of the bout, veteran featherweight contender Azat Hovhannisyan (23-6, 17 KOs) of Glendale, Arizona by way of Yerevan, Armenia took a step forward back towards contention with a ten-round majority decision over former title challenger Eduardo Baez (25-8-2, 10 KOs) of Calexico, California by way of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.
Hovhannisyan, 126, hurt his left hand in the early going, made evident as he continually shook it out in the opening rounds. Baez, 125, came on as Hovhannisyan adjusted to the injury in the second round of the fight.
Hovhannisyan had a successful third, using his left hand mostly to measure Baez and loading up on power right hands. Despite limited use of his left, Hovhannisyan dominated the round. During a good exchange in the fourth, time was called so referee Allen Huggins could warn Hovhannisyan for a low blow.
Baez pressed forward in the fifth. There was solid two-way action late in the round, as Hovhannisyan landed clean off the corner, before Baez fired back and landed with the right. Hovhannisyan got a little leeway from Huggins as he pressed down with his left and landed with his overhand right in the sixth and at various moments as the fight progressed. Baez had his moments in a competitive sixth as well.
Hovhannisyan was warned for holding after landing with an upper cut in the seventh. Baez landed with a solid right that got Hovhannisyan to hold for a moment before the Armenian veteran opened up with a minute left in the round.
Hovhannisyan got busy to start the eighth, but Baez landed in spots. Hovhannisyan flicked out his left, but not aiming to land with it. Hovhannisyan landed with a wild right uppercut from distance and continually looked to land his overhand right.
Hovhannisyan outworked Baez in the ninth and the two closed out the fight exchanging shots in the tenth before the bell rang and the bout went to the cards.
Judge Sal D’Amato scored the fight even, 95-95, but was overruled by judge Jack Reiss, 97-93, and judge Steve Weisfeld, 96-94, for the Armenian former title challenger. Hovhannisyan swept the last four rounds on the decisive card of Weisfeld to claim the decision.
In a pairing of previously unbeaten featherweights, Alexis De La Cerda (9-0, 5 KOs) of Federal Way, Washington scored a highlight reel third-round knockout of Ervin Fuller III (12-1, 6 KOs) of Fort Washington, Maryland.
After a feeling out first round, De La Cerda, 125.5, was more aggressive in the second as Fuller, 125.5, struggled to get on track with his offense in the early going. The Maryland native was having his moments early in the third, landing to De La Cerda’s body. Things changed quickly as De La Cerda landed clean with a brutal right hand from his toes. Fuller was out before he hit the mat, face down near the ropes. Referee Robert Hoyle immediately called a halt to the bout at 2:33 of the third.
Stepping up to the big stage for the first time in his career, Tony Hirsch Jr. (8-0-2, 4 KOs) of Oakland, California met the moment and hung the first loss on the record of lightweight prospect Robert Meriwether III (10-1, 4 KOs) of Las Vegas via eighth-round majority decision.
Meriwether, 135, started boxing well in the opening rounds before Hirsch, 134, made the adjustments and took control of the fight by the midway point of the eight-rounder. Hirsch had a very strong fifth round and looked more energetic as the action stayed on the inside for much of the stanza. Hirsch landed clean with some popping right hands in the sixth, continuing his momentum through the seventh as Meriwether’s corner shouted for their fighter to let his hands go. Hirsch landed well with right hands early in the eighth and the solid action fight closed with a back-and-forth exchange.
Judge Chris Migliore handed in the even card, 76-76, but was overruled by judge Steve Weisfeld, 78-74, and judge Lisa Giampa, 77-75, for Hirsch.
Junior middleweight prospect Jorge Maravillo (12-0-1, 9 KOs) of Salinas, California overcame a slow start to halt Elias Diaz (15-4, 8 KOs) of National City, California in the fifth round of a scheduled eight.
Diaz, 147, started the fight boxing well as Maravillo, 149.5, kept his offense holstered in stretches and had trouble landing anything meaningful in the opening rounds. The fight began to turn in the early moments of the fifth round as Maravillo hurt Diaz to the body.
Maravillo capitalized on his momentum and landed with a clean right upstairs in an exchange that instantly changed the fight. Diaz could never clear his head and Maravillo kept up the pressure, eventually downing the National City resident with another right. Diaz made it to his feet, but Maravillo soon had him backed into the red corner, taking punches. Referee Thomas Taylor leaped in to make the save, calling a halt to the action at 2:46 of the fifth. At the time of the stoppage, Maravillo was down 39-37 and 40-36 twice on the official scorecards.
The question for Maravillo going forward is whether he can make the 147-pound welterweight limit, as his promoter Zuffa Boxing has pledged to limit the weight classes it recognizes. Tonight’s bout was to be contested at 148 pounds, as Nevada has a one pound over contract allowance. Maravillo came in one-and-one-half pounds over that allowance at Saturday’s weigh-in and has not made welterweight in five years.
In his second appearance under the Zuffa Boxing banner, Troy Nash (7-0-1, 1 KO) of Colorado Springs, Colorado scored a decisive-looking eight-round decision over a game Bryan Rodriguez (8-2, 1 KO) of Donna, Texas, but settled for a majority decision in the night’s curtain raiser.
Scheduled for the eight-round distance for the first time in their pro careers, Nash, 127, and Rodriguez, 127.5, began at a measured pace. By the third round, the fight settled into a rhythm, with Rodriguez pressing forward and Nash playing the role of counter-puncher. As the fight progressed into the later rounds, Rodriguez was less successful offensively. Nash opened up and let his hands go in combination, while still maintaining his elusiveness on defense.
Judge Patricia Morse Jarman scored the bout even, 76-76, but was overruled by judge Lisa Giampa, who had it a shutout for Nash, 80-72, and judge Sal D’Amato, who scored the bout 79-73.
Zuffa Boxing on Paramount+ returns to the Meta Apex on May 10th as Shane Mosley Jr. meets Serhii Bohachuk in the ten-round main event.
Photos by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa Boxing
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com
