Shawn Porter Edges Yordanis Ugas to Retain WBC Title

WBC welterweight champion Shawn Porter (30-2-1, 17 KOs) of Akron, Ohio and Cuban welterweight Yordenis Ugas (23-4, 11 KOs ) went to battle Saturday night on the Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes main event at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. Ugas stalked the flashy Porter in the opening round as they started off slow. Sticking the jab and stalking in the second round, Ugas followed up with a solid right hand that caught Porter's attention. Fighting at a slow pace in round three, Ugas urged Porter to engage as the champ still tried to figure him out. The jab continued to find its mark for Ugas as Porter had difficulty getting inside of the Cuban's reach in the fourth.

Trading in the center of the ring in the fifth Porter and Ugas exchanged but the Cuban backed Porter to finish the round. Ugas continued to beat Porter to the punch and outwork him in the sixth as the champ continued to figure him out. Halfway through in the seventh, Porter and Ugas exchanged jabs. Later in the round Porter retreated and kept his distance to close the round. Ugas timed Porter's hand speed with the jab in the eighth as the champ attempted to adapt to the Cuban's size and reach.

Fighting at a slow pace in the ninth the fans began to get inpatient, later in the round Porter circled the stalking but Ugas closed the round with a solid right. Late in the fight in the tenth, Ugas continued to stalk as Porter was cut on right eye from a punch. The championship rounds saw a frustrated Porter as Ugas continued to stay on of the champ behind the jab and awkward style, later in the round Porter lunged in wand was caught by a solid counter. With the fight close in the twelfth and final round, Porter hit the canvas but referee Jack Reiss immediately ruled a slip as Ugas was in disbelief, Ugas followed up with a solid right. The Cuban challenger continued to go at the champ as he finished the fight with extreme confidence.

Judges scored the bout 117-111 Ugas, and 116-112 for Porter and 115-113 for Porter as the champ Porter successfully defends his WBC title.

Welterweight Abel Ramos (24-3-2, 18 KOs) of Phoenix outpointed Francisco “Chia” Santana (25-7-1, 12 KOs) of Santa Barbara, California going the distance in a very competitive 10-round bout. Santana and Ramos exchanged right hands in the opening round to start things off. In the second, Santana landed a solid combination as he had Ramos against the ropes, later in the round, left hook to the head dropped Ramos. Popping the jab and keeping his distance in the third Ramos boxed as Santana pressed and landed a crisp left hook. Mixing it up on the inside in the fifth, Ramos outworked Santana but the veteran crouched and stayed busy.

Past the halfway point in the sixth, Ramos worked off the jab as he was cut above the lip, Santana worked his way inside as he continued to stay on top of Ramos. Santana was hurt in the final seconds of the seventh round as Ramos pressed, Santana was saved by the bell. With Santana tired in the eighth, Ramos pressed as the fight appeared to be close late in the fight. Late in the fight with the fight close, Santana pressed as Ramos stood his ground exchanging.

After 98-92, 97-92, and 95-94 as Abel Ramos wins a unanimous decision.

Undefeated Nigerian heavyweight Efe Ajagba (9-0, 8KOs) stopped Amir Mansour (23-4-1 KOs) in two. Ajagba landed a short right hand as he sent Mansour to the canvas. Monsour was up and down a second time from a left hook in the final seconds of the opening round and was saved by the bell. The Nigerian Ajagba kept pounding away round two as he had Mansour ready to go. Mansour made it through the round but could not continue as the referee waived the bout at the end of round two.

Former world champion Juan Carlos Payano (21-2, 9 KOs) of Panama handled bantamweight prospect Damien Vazquez (14-1, 7 KOs) of Colorado over eight rounds in headlining the PBC on FS1 card. Payano was on the attack early landing some thudding punches as he backed Vasquez. Mixing it up on the inside Payano got the better of the exchanges in landing the straight left. In the fourth, Payano was cut below the right eye as Vasquez popped the jab.The blood began to flow down from Payano’s cut in the fifth as Vasquez stick and moved.The former world champion rocked Vasquez with a left in the sixth as he was badly hurt, despite the bleeding Payano continued to land big punches as Vasquez was saved by the bell. The eighth and final round saw Payano pressing as Vasquez kept his distance.

In the end the judges scored the bout 80-72, 80-72 and 79-73.

2016 Lithuanian Olympian Eimantas Stanionis (8-0, 5 KOs) and Sammy Figueroa (11-2, 4 KOs) of Puerto Rico battled it out going the distance eight rounds in opening up the FS1 telecast. Statinionis and Figueroa mixed it up in the early rounds trading big punches. Figueroa was slick boxing and keeping his distance as Stanionis attacked landing solidly. The Lithuanian began to control Figueroa late in the fight landing solid combinations and backing up the Puerto Rican in route to a unanimous decision. All three judges scored the bout 80-72.

In the opening bout from the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, Ukrainian super featherweight prospect Viktor Slavinskyi (8-0-1, 4 KOs) won a unanimous decision over Luis May (21-13-1, KOs) of Mexico. Slavinskyi dominated for six rounds and credit to May he held his own in going the distance. All three judges scored the bout 60-54

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