On Saturday night, underdog Teofimo Lopez Jr. defeated top ranked fighter Josh Taylor via unanimous decision (115-113, 115-113, 117-111) to make him the new WBO junior welterweight world champion in New York City.
In the main event of the evening at Madison Square Garden, Taylor opened the fight strong with several powerful left hands. It wasn’t until the fourth round that Lopez was able to read his fighting style, transitioning from counterstrikes to a more aggressive offensive technique. As the rounds progressed, Lopez’s confidence increased, which was evident in the precision and force of his punches.
Gaining momentum with powerful body shots and creative striking combinations, Lopez closed the eighth round with a lunging left hook and continuously swung until he heard the bell.
In the remaining rounds of the fight, fans were able to see a level of confidence in Lopez which they hadn’t seen in years. Although both fighters continued to throw shots at each other up until the end of the fight, Lopez’s stamina allowed him to land more punches and control the fight both offensively and defensively.
Defying the odds with this unanimous decision victory, Lopez was declared the new WBO 140 pound champion of the world.
The co-main event was yet another unanimous decision victory, as Xander Zayas defeated Ronald Cruz (80-71, 80-71, 80-71). As the rounds went on, Zayas upped the pace of his striking in search of a knockout. Although he was unable to finish his opponent, Zayas’ decision victory now makes him a 16-0 fighter.
Despite talks of retirement and an uncertain future in boxing, Lopez has undoubtedly created a bigger name for himself after dominating this match against the previous top-ranked junior welterweight fighter.
