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BOXING
Yuri Foreman becomes first Israeli world champion
Rabbinical student shocks Daniel Santos to win WBA super-welterweight belt on a decision on the Pacquiao-Cotto undercard.
Yuri Foreman
Yuri Foreman celebrates after his one-sided decision over Puerto Rican Daniel Santos in a WBA super-welterweight title fight Saturday night. (Al Bello / Getty Images)
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By Kevin Baxter
November 15, 2009
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Reporting from Las Vegas - Rabbinical student Yuri Foreman became the first Israeli fighter to win a world boxing championship when he scored a shocking and one-sided decision over Puerto Rican Daniel Santos in a WBA super-welterweight title fight Saturday night on the Miguel Cotto-Manny Pacquiao undercard at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Foreman (28-0, 8 knockouts) knocked Santos (32-4-1, 23 KOs) down in the second round, had him pinned against the ropes in the third then appeared to hurt the champion with a flurry of punches near the end of the fourth round.
Santos made a final desperate charge in the 12th and final round, knowing he needed a knockout to win. But he was far too weary by then, stumbling to the canvas again with less than a minute left in the fight.
Foreman was one of five fighters who took unblemished records into the undercard and came out with victories.