Andrew “Hurricane” Hernandez scored the vacant WBC United States (USNBC) middleweight title last night at the Downtown Las Vegas Event Center by unexpectedly beating previously undefeated, and 50-1 betting favorite, Arif “The Predator” Magomedov via unanimous decision.

A largely unknown six-year pro fighting out of Phoenix, Arizona, 30-year-old Hernandez (12-4-1, 3 KOs, 1 No Contest) put Magomedov (who was more prey than predator) on his seat in the 10th, winning the 10-rounder by two scores of 100-89 and one of 98-91. Hernandez, a full-time landscaper, won the then-vacant UBF (Universal Boxing Federation) InterContinental super middleweight title by stopping Jeff Page Jr. via 10th-round TKO last November.

Twenty-three-year-old Magomedov, a three-year ring vet (17-1, 10 KOs), won the WBA Fedelatin middleweight title in April 2014 by retiring Alex Theran in the third, as well as the then-vacant WBA Inter-Continental middleweight title four months later by beating Patrick Mendy via unanimous decision. The Russian entered last night’s fight fifth-ranked by the WBA. He’s second-ranked by the WBC, third by the WBO, and 14th by the IBF.

“This fight changes everything for me,” said Hernandez. Same is true of Magomedov.

This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.