Pacquiao-Margarito Undercard: Rigondeaux Wins Jr. Featherweight Title

Fight: RICARDO CORDOBA, Santa Marta, Panama 37-2-2, 23 KOs, vs. GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX, Miami, FL, 6-0, 5 KOs

Division: 12 Rounds – WBA Interim World Junior Featherweight Title

Result: Rigondeaux Wins By SD

Detail: Cuban fighter Rigondeaux is considered by many to be the best amateur fighter in the history of boxing. Thus, the unusually early title shot. Among his many accolades, he’s a two-time gold medalist at both the Olympics and the Pan American Games. Rigondeaux is known for his speed, which he put on display against Cordoba. His fast hands and even faster feet prevented Cordoba from connecting. As a result, the two avoided engaging in center-of-the-ring exchanges–a decision that caused some in the audience to boo.

But Rigondeaux, a skilled tactician, knew what he was doing. And in the fourth, he landed a solid shot to Cordoba’s solar plexus and dropped him to the canvas. After Cordoba got back up, Rigondeaux pounced, momentarily pinning Cordoba to the ropes and hitting him with multiple body shots. But that was the most sustained action of the fight.

For the remaining rounds, Rigondeaux ducked and dodged Cordoba on his way to a split decision win–and his first pro title.  One judge scored it 114-112 for Cordoba, with the other two judges scoring it 117-109 and 114-112, respectively, for Rigondeaux.