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Mike Coppinger, ESPN
LAS VEGAS– Teofimo Lopez strutted his method to the ring Thursday night accompanied by a sword eater and other circus serves as he funnelled Hugh Jackman’s “The best Showman” total with stovepipe hat and ringmaster bathrobe.
He was anything however in an uneventful junior welterweight title defense versus Jamaine Ortiz, a unanimous-decision triumph for Lopez that generated continuous boos from the Mandalay Bay crowd.
Lopez (20-1, 13 KOs) dominated through ratings of 117-111, 115-113 and 115-113. And while he maintained his WBO title at 140 pounds, he stopped working to place on a program and was annoyed when again by a slick southpaw fighter.
” These fighters do not wish to come and battle,” stated Lopez, ESPN’s No. 1 junior welterweight. “If you ain’t all set for this life, get the f– out of my sport. I am a champ. I pity this and I sweat for this and I weep for this. Each time.”
Neither fighter landed numerous shots– 78 for Lopez and 80 for Ortiz. Ortiz’s rangy jab offered Lopez fits, and each time the champ closed the range, Ortiz (17-2-1, 8 KOs) would reset and declined to engage. The technique worked even if it wasn’t visually pleasing.
Although Ortiz didn’t wish to exchange, Lopez didn’t do himself any prefers with his own technique. Lopez mainly tossed one punch at a time, followed Ortiz instead of cut off the ring and didn’t target the body.
This wasn’t brand-new area for Lopez. When he dealt with Sandor Martin, another slick southpaw, in December 2022, Lopez once again stopped working to cut off the ring and was on the winning end of a challenged choice.
After that battle, Lopez was captured asking his dad and fitness instructor: “Do I still got it?”
The response was a definite yes after the method he controlled Josh Taylor in June to end up being a two-division champ. Nevertheless, Lopez revealed Thursday night that he didn’t discover much from the Martin efficiency; modifications weren’t made this time around, either.
” It’s not a repeat since I still got it,” Lopez stated. “Do not inform me it’s Sandor Martin Part 2.”
Ortiz, a 27-year-old New Englander, got acknowledgment when he pressed Vasiliy Lomachenko in a competitive choice loss in October 2022. However similar to he did versus Lomachenko, Ortiz faded down the stretch.
Lopez swept the last 3 rounds to take out the win Thursday. If Ortiz had actually won among those 3 rounds on 2 of the cards, the battle would have ended in a draw.
” I think I won the battle,” stated Ortiz, ESPN’s No. 8 light-weight, who went up to 140 pounds for his very first title shot. “What can I state, I came out on the brief end of the stick when again. He could not strike me. … He wasn’t landing any shots on me. … I constantly remain real to who I am. … Make some modifications and return for another title shot.”
Ortiz suffered a major cut over his left eye from a clash of heads in Round 7, however his corner had the ability to rapidly keep the bleeding under control. And while his jab and footwork were outstanding, there weren’t any minutes that stood apart to judges.
With Lopez pushing forward, even if it was inefficient hostility, it appeared to win over the judges down the stretch.
The triumph nets Lopez his very first junior welterweight title defense. Among boxing’s increasing stars, Lopez caught the undeniable light-weight champion when he disturbed Lomachenko in October 2020.
However he lost the titles in his very first defense, a choice defeat to George Kambosos in ESPN’s 2021 Distressed of the Year.