Yankiel Rivera (7-0-1, 3 costs) and Angelino Cordova (19-0-2, 12 cost) struggled to a 12-round majority on Saturday night in a collision that had the vacant WBA-Tuss-entry title on the Caribe Royale Orlando, Florida.
Rivera sustained a bad cut over his left eye from a clash of heads in round three. His corner did an excellent job to solve the cut.
Phantom Knockdown, bad call
It was a messy battle with many head collisions between the two fighters. Rivera got credit for a knockout in round four when he grabbed Cordova and threw him to the canvas in a Handbook Pro Wrestling Move. The repetitions showed that Rivera Cordova hit the canvas, showing that referee Luis Pabon blew the call by deciding it as a knockout.
In the fourth round, referee Pabon, Cordova, penalized for landing a shot at the back of Rivera’s head. Cordova has not yet been given warnings before the deduction. However, it was a mistake.
The punch stats difference
- 115-111: Cordova
- 113-113
- 113-113
Cordova was the more aggressive fighter and landed the harder shots in each round. Rivera used many headlines and a lot of clinic to neutralize Cordova’s offense. The holding of Rivera interrupted the flow of battle.
Punch statistics
- Yaniel Rivera: 84 ended up from 340 for a 25% connection rate
- Angelino Cordova: 82 of 609 shots for a 14% connection rate.
Rivera is sore in round 11
Yaniel Rivera, 27, was injured in the 11th after taking four hard bumps late in the round of wild-swinging Cordova. When the round was over, Rivera looked shaken as he walked back to his corner.
In the twelfth, Cordova relentlessly attacked and threw loops and landed nicely. Rivera chose to repeatedly fasten Cordova and choose to exhibit the round rather than fight hard. He may have felt the consequences of being injured by the great blows of the Venezuelan Cordova in the 11th. He didn’t want to take any chances.
“I’m not going to criticize the judges. I did the job, and I thought I won, ‘Rivera said after the fight.
A stall for survival
Cordova landed the harder bumps in the fight and was the aggressor throughout. If it wasn’t for the point deduction for a rabbit punch and the knockout of a call by the referee, it would have been a different battle. Rivera did not do enough to earn the win tonight, and the constant blow he did made it clear that he was trying to survive in the later rounds.
“I respect the cards. I disagree with the cards. I will take the cards with respect,” Cordova said.
Last updated on 08/24/2025

