Erdenebat Drops Yaqubov And Wins Unanimous Decision

Tsendbaatar Erdenebat put Muhammad Yaqubov down with a right jab in the opening round and went on to take his WBC USA super featherweight title by unanimous decision at the County Coliseum in El Paso. The Mongolian remains unbeaten after sixteen professional contests. Yaqubov recovered promptly from the knockdown and completed the ten rounds, but finished well behind on every scorecard.

The scores were 99 points to 90 and twice 98 points to 91. Erdenebat, who began the evening with fifteen victories, six inside the distance, improves to sixteen wins with the same knockout tally. Yaqubov, from Tajikistan, now has 23 wins, including twelve stoppages, two defeats and one draw. This was his first loss since O’Shaquie Foster outpointed him in 2022.

The opening knockdown came from Erdenebat’s lead hand, his right jab travelling straight through from his southpaw stance. Yaqubov got up immediately and took the mandatory eight-count. It was an emphatic introduction to the contest: a punch normally employed to establish distance had put the defending champion on the floor. Erdenebat had secured an early scoring advantage without needing to commit his rear hand.

Both men boxed left-handed, a circumstance Yaqubov had regarded as favourable beforehand. “I feel more suited to an opponent with a southpaw stance like mine,” he had told The Ring. The opening round supplied an awkward answer. Sharing an opponent’s stance does not, of course, guarantee sharing his success.

Erdenebat’s confidence was also evident in his showmanship. He blew kisses and exaggerated the wind-up before some of his heavier punches. Those flourishes supplied a lighter interruption to the business of taking Yaqubov’s belt. The important distinction was that the posing accompanied a winning performance; the judges were not being asked to award marks for personality.

Yaqubov stayed in the contest and reached the final bell, extending a professional record in which he has still never been stopped. Nevertheless, the margins underline the size of his problem. He needed to recover ground after the early knockdown, and none of the three judges considered his subsequent work sufficient to bring him close. Erdenebat’s advantage at the finish was considerably greater than the extra point gained in the opening round.

There was substance behind this meeting beyond the regional championship. Yaqubov had been advertised as seventh in the WBC’s world rankings, with Erdenebat tenth and also fourteenth with the IBF. Victory therefore gives the Mongolian a useful result against a fellow contender at 130 pounds, rather than merely another addition to an unbeaten record.

Erdenebat, 30, arrived with an extensive international amateur background, including appearances at two Olympic Games and a world championship bronze medal. His recent professional form included decision victories over Frency Fortunato Saya, Abraham Montoya and Cobia Breedy, the last of those in May. He has now added an opponent with greater professional experience than himself. Reports in Mongolia also recorded his account of losing fifteen kilograms during preparation for this contest.

For the 31-year-old Yaqubov, the evening ended a lengthy wait to return. He had not boxed since his split draw with Cristian Cruz Chacon in November last year, having beaten William Foster III by majority decision the preceding August. An earlier arrangement to face Erdenebat had fallen through following a training injury. Before this contest, Yaqubov said his recovery had required three months away. He had returned to Freddie Roach at the Wild Card gym in Hollywood, entrusting the preparation of his tactics to the experienced trainer.

Yaqubov had spoken before the fight about wanting another opportunity against Foster. That ambition now requires rebuilding after a second professional defeat. Erdenebat leaves with the regional championship and his unbeaten run intact, having beaten an opponent whose experience and ranking made this an important examination.

I liked Erdenebat’s right jab more than the kisses and showboating. Putting Yaqubov down with your lead hand tells me the timing was doing the damage, without needing to load up. That’s proper boxing. Yaqubov deserves credit for getting straight up and staying in there. But recovering from a knockdown and taking control are different jobs. I wouldn’t confuse Erdenebat’s confidence with proof he’s ready for everyone at the top. He still has bigger questions to answer, but this was a worthwhile win over an experienced opponent. The right man won.