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Saturday, May 26
 
Mayweather overcomes injuries, outlasts Hernandez

Associated Press

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Floyd Mayweather, fighting in his hometown, pounded out a 12-round unanimous decision over Carlos Hernandez on Saturday night to retain his WBC super featherweight title.

Calling it "one of the toughest nights of my career," the 130-pound champion overcame injuries to both hands to improve his record to 26-0.

"He is a very, very tough fighter," Mayweather said of the challenger, whose record fell to 33-3-1. "I'm disappointed in my performance."

All three judges strongly favored Mayweather, but Hernandez wasn't impressed.

"All he did was pepper me with jabs," said the 30-year-old from Bellflower, Calif. "He just kept running from me."

Mayweather, 24, suffered the first knockdown of his career when his right glove touched the canvas in the sixth round. He wasn't hit, but was given a standing eight count by referee Dale Grable.

In another title fight on the card at Van Andel Arena, Jesus Chavez of Austin, Texas, kept his NABF super featherweight crown with a unanimous decision over Juan Arias of Napa, Calif.

All three judges scored the fight 117-112 for Chavez, who is 35-1 with 24 knockouts. Arias suffered only his second loss in 35 bouts. There were no knockdowns.

Mayweather is expected to fight Chavez later this year in either Las Vegas or San Antonio.




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