ARLINGTON, Texas - Two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux, fighting for only the seventh time as a pro, went the distance Saturday night before taking a split decision over Ricardo Cordoba in a junior featherweight fight.
Rigondeaux, who defected from Cuba last year, fought cautiously but well enough to win on two of the ringside scorecards. Rigon-deaux won 117-109 and 114-112, while the third judge had Cordoba ahead 114-112.
Rigondeaux knocked Cordoba down in the fourth round with a right hand, but fought cautiously after taking a count himself in the sixth round after a right hand by the Panamanian. The fight drew boos from the crowd at Cowboys Stadium eager for the main event of Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito.
Rigondeaux, 29, turned pro only after defecting but had hundreds of amateur bouts and won Olympic gold medals in 2000 and 2004. A slick southpaw, he controlled the fight from the outside to take the interim WBA junior featherweight title.
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"I thought I won every round," Rigondeaux said. "It was an easy fight."
In a welterweight fight, Mike Jones of Philadelphia remained undefeated with a majority decision over Jesus Soto-Karass of Mexico.
Jones appeared to be on the verge of stopping Soto-Karass in the second round, but appeared to punch himself out and the fight went the distance. Jones won 97-93 and 95-94 on two scorecards, while the third judge had it 94-94.
In another bout, Brandon Rios remained unbeaten by stopping Omri Lowther in the fifth round of their scheduled 10-round super lightweight fight.
Rios was a late addition to the card after former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik pulled out of his fight with a back injury.
Rios, who improved to 26-0-1, scored his 19th knockout behind a relentless left hook that wore down Lowther, who fell to 14-3.
The fight was finally stopped at 2:17 of the fifth round with Lowther taking a flurry of punches against the ropes.
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