Andres Cortes handled the move to lightweight with a controlled 10-round unanimous decision over Eridson Garcia in Sunday night’s headliner on Zuffa Boxing 05, rely on activity and cleaner work rather than strength to ensure victory.
The scores were 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94, reflecting a fight in which Cortes dictated pace and distance for most of the rounds. Garcia entered with a reputation for pressure and power, but he struggled to consistently enforce it against Cortes’ movement and combination punches.
Cortes (25-0, 13 KOs) stayed disciplined from the start, using his feet to create space and firing in short bursts before settling back. He avoided extended exchanges and kept Garcia spinning, 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 pushed forward and had moments as he closed the distance, but he couldn’t sustain offense over laps. The fight went the full ten rounds without a takedown, with Cortes landing the cleaner shots more consistently. Garcia stayed in contention throughout but fell behind with activity over the distance.
For Cortes, the feat answered a key question about his weight gain. He maintained his undefeated record while showing he can manage a full-range fight against a lively opponent at 135, even if the win came by control rather than a statement finish.
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Last updated on 2026/04/05 at 23:51
