Andres Cortes handled the step up to lightweight with a controlled 10-round unanimous decision over Eridson Garcia on Sunday night in the headliner on Zuffa Boxing 05, relying on activity and cleaner work rather than power to secure the win.
The scores were 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94, reflecting a fight in which Cortes dictated pace and distance across most of the rounds. Garcia had entered with a reputation for pressure and power, but he struggled to impose that consistently against Cortes’ movement and combination punching.
Cortes (25-0, 13 KOs) stayed disciplined from the outset, using his feet to create space and firing in short bursts before resetting. He avoided extended exchanges and kept Garcia turning, limiting the Dominican’s ability to set his feet and throw with authority. Garcia (23-2, 14 KOs) pressed forward and had moments when he closed the gap, but he was often second to the punch and forced to react rather than lead.
Cortes kept the fight at his pace, using movement and short combinations to stay ahead on the cards. Garcia pressed forward and had moments when he closed the distance, but he wasn’t able to sustain offense across rounds. The fight went the full ten rounds without a knockdown, with Cortes landing the cleaner shots more consistently. Garcia stayed in the fight throughout but fell behind on activity over the distance.
For Cortes, the performance answered a key question about his move up in weight. He maintained his unbeaten record while showing he can manage a full-distance fight against a live opponent at 135, even if the win came through control rather than a statement finish.
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Last Updated on 2026/04/05 at 11:51 PM
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