Teofimo Lopez successfully made the first defence of his WBO super lightweight title at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, but it was a fight that failed to ignite, as he overcame a negative and awkward Jamaine Ortiz by unanimous decision.
Lopez (20-1, 13 KOs) was coming off a stunning points win against Josh Taylor to relieve the Scotsman of his title in June, and much was expected of ‘The Takeover’. Ortiz (17-2-1, 8 KOs) was moving up from lightweight, where his best performance was arguably a points loss to Vasiliy Lomachenko in October 2022.
After a cagey opening round, the two exchanged leather in round two, with Ortiz getting the better of the argument in the main.
Lopez did have success of his own in the round, landing a flush right hand and connecting with power shots.
The champion was doing enough to stay out of trouble, and his timing possibly banked him rounds three and four, but the challenger was making things difficult by not engaging.
By the sixth, the crowd were booing due to the lack of action, and a clash of heads in round seven left Ortiz with a cut over his left eye, with the Massachusetts native seemingly troubled by a body shot to add to his problems.
‘The Technician’ was frustrating Lopez without having sustained success, and the pattern of the rounds would see the Brooklyn man having to force the action as Ortiz became more and more negative with his offence.
As the fight reached its conclusion, such was the lack of action that rounds were difficult to score, and it was down to the judges to declare a winner.
Lopez kept hold of his hardware with a win by two scores of 115-113, and a third at 117-111 and called for a showdown with undisputed welterweight champion, Terence Crawford.
“I’ll fight Crawford at a catchweight,” he told ESPN.
catch weight what? This guy is crazy, but he knows what’s up he just trying to use my name for promotion.
— Terence Crawford (@terencecrawford) February 9, 2024
“What’s up then? I’m here, I’m ready, always been ready.
“I’m hungry, I’m younger, I’m prettier.”
Davis halts Pedraza
On the undercard, Keyshawn Davis added the vacant IBF USBA lightweight title to his WBC USA and WBO Intercontinental baubles, and he quite possibly ended the career of former world champion, Jose Pedraza (29-6-1, 14 KOs), as he scored a sixth round stoppage win in their meeting.
Davis (10-0, 7 KOs) dominated, and a body shot helped set the finish up, with a two-fisted attack forcing the referee to intervene.
Giron upsets Acosta
George Acosta (17-2, 3 KOs) was upset in his eight rounder at lightweight, as Rene Tellez Giron (19-3, 12 KOs) took a win on the cards.
Giron won by scores of 79-72, 78-73 and 76-75.
Remaining Undercard
Abdullah Mason (12-0, 10 KOs) impressed, scoring a second round knockout at super lightweight against Benjamin Gurment (8-1-3, 5 KOs), and there were points wins for Javier Martinez (10-0-1, 3 KOs) against Raul Salomon (12-3, 10 KOs) at middleweight, and for Charlie Sheehy (9-0, 5 KOs), who won every round at lightweight against Abdel Sauceda (12-4, 8 KOs).
FILTHY. NASTY.
EVERY ADJECTIVE YOU GOT.
MY GOOOOODNESS 😵💫@abdullahmason_ | #TeofimoOrtiz pic.twitter.com/uR6ZisAxib
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) February 9, 2024
In six round action, Antonio Zepeda (6-2, 6 KOs) suffered a second straight defeat to Lemir Isom Riley (4-2, 2 KOs), who took a third round stoppage win, and super lightweight prospect Alan Garcia (11-0, 9 KOs) won in the opening round against Tomas Ornelas (7-4, 5 KOs).
The sole four rounder was also at super lightweight, where Art Barrera Jr (3-0, 3 KOs) also won in the first against Michael Portales (3-3-1, 1 KOs).
