Errol Spence Jr. punishes Yordenis Ugas, wins by stoppage

IBF and WBC champion Errol Spence Jr. stopped determined Yordenis Ugas last night in round 10 at AT@T Stadium in Arlington, TX. 

Spence added the WBA belt to his collection – leaving only the WBO strap, held by Terence Crawford.
 
“Everybody knows who I want next,” Spence said. “I want Terence Crawford. That’s the fight that I want."

Spence (28-0, 22 KOs) opened the fight by jabbing and working the body – a plan he never deviated from. The shots were crisp and heavy. Ugas was content to counter, scoring occasionally, but being outworked by the busier Spence. 

By the third round, Spence was cracking Ugas with uppercuts. Ugas nailed Spence with a three-punch combination. 

High drama in round six. Ugas (27-4, 12 KOs) buzzed Spence with an uppercut, knocking out his mouthpiece. Seconds later, a big Ugas right knocked Spence into the ropes. Mediocre referee Lawrence Cole interrupted the action to retrieve the mouthpiece. The break helped Spence. He banged home more body shots as the bell rang. 

Spence, 32, was back in control in round seven. He tattooed Ugas, 35, with uppercuts and left hands that landed on the WBA champion’s rapidly swelling right eye. 

Ugas battled back to hurt Spence with a belly shot in round nine. Spence continued his onslaught in the next few rounds, relentlessly pursuing Ugas. A second visit to the ringside physician in round 10 convinced the doctor that the fight was over. Ugas howled in protest as Spence celebrated. 

“I  wanted to keep going to the end, Ugas said. "I had a chance to win the fight in the sixth round, but he recuperated well. Congratulations to him and his team.”

Rising lightweight Isaac Cruz (23-2-1, 16 KOs) stopped shopworn former featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa (30-5, 18 KOs). 

Cruz knocked Gamboa down four times, winning by stoppage in round five. Hopefully, the 40-year-old Gamboa calls it a career. Cruz was strong from the onset. 

“I’m here to defeat and dethrone anyone that gets in my way while putting on a show for the fans,” Cruz said.  
 
José Valenzuela (12-0, 8 knockouts) stopped former champion Francisco Vargas (27-4-2, 19 KOs) in the opening round. A looping left floored Vargas hard. The referee took one look at the prone Vargas and waved the fight off.

The elder abuse began in the opening fight of the pay-per-view card as Cody Crowley (21-0, 9 KOs) defeated former contender Josesito Lopez over 10 rounds. 

Crowley punished the always gutsy Lopez,38, in the last half of the fight. Lopez (38-9, 21 KOs) refused to quit.

He should join Vargas and Gamboa in retirement.