Hugo Ruiz Retains WBA Title, Decisions Panchito Arce

By Miguel Rivera

At the Polideportivo Centenario in Los Mochis, Mexico, Hugo Ruiz (28-1, 25 KOs) won a twelve round unanimous decision over Francisco “Panchito” Arce (31-7-3, 28 KOs) to retain the interim-WBA bantamweight title. Ruiz, a very big puncher, put Arce down in the fifth and the eleventh. The scores were 114-109, 114-109 and 112-111. Panchito's brother, Jorge Arce, captured the WBO super bantamweight title last Saturday night in Las Vegas with a twelfth round stoppage of Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. The two brothers were hoping to add another title to the family, but Panchito falls short. Jorge was giving him advice all week; it wasn't enough to overcome the stronger Ruiz.