At the Bubble, MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV, Top Rank – Bob Arum over ESPN Saturday brought in “Unification Fight of the Year”! Lopez defeated Lomachenko to now hold titles of WBA, WBO, IFB and WBC! No other champion today holds all four titles!
In the Main Event WBA, WBO and WBC Lightweight champion Vasyl “Hi-Tech” Lomachenko, 14-2 (10), #135, of the UKR and Oxnard, CA, lost his titles to IBF champion Teofimo “El Brooklyn” Lopez, 16-0 (12), #135, Brooklyn, NY and Jonesboro, ARK, over 12 rounds.
In the first round it was all Lopez. He chased landing jabs and a few rights to the mid-section while Lomachenko moved and threw few jabs in return. In the second round Lopez continued out working Lomachenko but got caught with a lead left and a right following it. In the third round Lomachenko finally opened up but not enough to take the round with few punches landed by both.
In the fourth round Lopez continued out working Lomachenko who has not opened up any offense. In the fifth round the non-action on the part of Lomachenko has made it one dull fight. In the sixth round Lopez landed rights and finished the round with one on the chin of Lomachenko who did more this round than any other. In the seventh round Lomachenko finally landed some punches backing up Lopez in the middle of the round. They bumped heads causing a slight swelling on the left eyebrow of Lopez.
In the eighth round Lomachenko opened up taking his first round of the fight landing a pair of lefts to the chin of Lopez. In the ninth round the pace picked up with Lomachenko knowing he was behind in the fight may have outworked Lopez. In the tenth round Lomachenko came forward and scored. In the final seconds Lopez landed a low right with referee Russell Mora giving him a minutes rest. In the eleventh round Lomachenko dominated the first two minutes with Lopez finishing strong.
In the twelfth and final round Lopez was out punching Lomachenko when a clash of heads caused a cut under the left eyebrow of Lopez in the final seconds of the fight.
Scores were Steve Weisfeld 117-111, Julie Lederman 119-109 and Tim Cheatham 116-112 with this writer 115-113.
“I got to thank God first. I take one to win won in order to win. Every time he wanted to throw I beat him to the punch. I knew he was coming off a long layoff and would start slow. I want David Haney next,” said Lopez. “I think in the first half of the fight I thought he got in more rounds than I did but I thought I took over the last half of the fight but do not argue the decision,” said Lomachenko.
In the co-feature it was a war with Alex “El Cholo” Saucedo, 30-2 (19), #140, of MEX and Oklahoma City, OK, losing to WBO No. 2 ranked Arnold Barboza, Jr., 25-0 (10), #140, of East Los Angeles, CA, over 10 rounds for the interim WBO junior welter title.
In the first round it was rock em’ sock’ em from both fighters. Barboza came out southpaw switching back and forth. Barboza’s head came up against the nose of Saucedo bringing blood out. In the second round they continued punching one another right up to the bell. In the third and fourth rounds the war continued with Barboza getting the round’s after possibly losing the first two. In the fifth round Barboza continued out landing Saucedo but not by much.
In the sixth round the slugfest continued. In the seventh round Barboza missed a punch going out of position and Saucedo went after him landing a pair of left hooks and down in a corner from a left hook from Saucedo that the referee Celestino Ruiz called a slip. Under review it was reversed to a knockdown. In the eighth round Barboza came back as the war continued.
In the ninth round with a little over a minute left in the round Barboza landed a solid right on the chin of Saucedo. Seconds later Barboza warned for using his left elbow on the side of the head of Saucedo. In the tenth and final round both fighters gave the fans all they wanted right up until the final bell!
Scores were Moretti 96-93, DeLuca and Jarman 97-92 with this writer 95-94 Saucedo.
Super Lightweight southpaw Josue “The Prodigy” Vargas, 18-1 (9), #142, of PR and The Bronx, NY, defeated Kendo “El Tremendo” Castanedo, 17-2 38), #142, of San Antonio, TX, over 10 rounds.
In the second round a left from Vargas on the chin of Castanedo and down he went for an 8-count from referee Tony Weeks. Castanedo got up and pressed the fight the rest of the round. In the third round Castanedo suffered blood from the mouth. From the fourth thru the seventh Vargas outworked Castanedo in a good fight. Castanedo suffered a bloody nose and possibly broken in the seventh round.
In the eighth round Vargas continued pushing Castanedo to the ropes. In the ninth round Vargas had Castanedo on the complete defense. In the tenth and final round Vargas finished strong and looking like a shutout winner.
Scores were DeLuca 98-91, Giampa 100-89 and Weisfeld 99-91. This writer had it 100-89.
Super Middleweight Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga, 15-0 (15), #169, of Brooklyn, NY, stopped Lanell Bellows, 20-6-3 (13), #169, of Las Vegas, NV, at 1:19 of the first round of a scheduled 8 rounds for his fifteenth straight first round stoppage.
In the first round a left hook on the ear from Berlanga hurt Fellows. Suddenly, after ten unanswered punches referee Robert Hoyle jumped in stopping the fight. Bellows had a cut on his left eyebrow at the end.
“I saw the look in his eyes at the start and I knew he didn’t want to be in there,” said Berlanga.
Featherweight Jose “El Ejecutor” Enrique Durantes Vivas, 20-1 (11), #128, of MEX and Montebello, CA, stopped John “Mulawin” Vincent Moralde, 23-4 (13), #127, of General Santos City, PH, at 1:15 of the first round of a scheduled 8 rounds.
In the first round while in a clinch a left hook from Vivas dropped Moralde for an 8-count. Vivas jumped on Moralde landing two left hooks to the body dropping Moralde on his knees in no condition to continue as referee Ruiz waved it off without a count.
Welterweight Quinton Randall, 7-0 (2), #147, of Houston, TX, won a close decision over southpaw Jan Carlos Rivera, 4-1-1ND (4), #146, of PR and Philadelphia, PA, over 6 rounds.
In the first round Rivera outworked Randall for the first two minutes with Randall coming back in the final minute with body shots. In the second round at the halfway mark River rocked Randall with a lead left on the chin. Rivera continued to go to the body with both hands. In the third round Randall went to the body with good right’s having the longer reach. Rivera continued to outwork Randall.
In the fourth round Randall got in some good uppercuts to the body with Rivera smothering him. In the fifth round Rivera kept up the pressure with Randall landing uppercuts to the body. In the sixth and final round it was close but Rivera outworked Randall.
Scores were Byrd 59-55, DeLuca and Jarman 58-56 for the winner while this writer had it 58-56 for the loser. Referee was Tony Weeks.
Super Lightweight 17 year-old Jahi Tucker, 2-0 (1), #145, of Deer Park, NY, won a close decision over Charles Garner, 1-1 (0), #142, of Buffalo, NY, over 4 action rounds.
In the first round Garner raced out and missed a wild left falling to the canvas. Tucker showed faster hands and feet in taking the round. In the second round at the halfway point Garner’s nose started to bleed. In the final thirty seconds Garner had his mouthpiece knocked out. Both had their moments in an action round. In the third round Garner switched to southpaw and back to orthodox in another good round with Tucker having an edge. In the fourth and final round it was close and Garner may have pulled it out.
Scores were 40-36 by judges Feldman, Giampa and Moretti while this writer had it 39-37. Robert Hoyle was the referee.