Maidana Stops Lopez in a war!
On Saturday night Marcos Maidana (34-3, 30 KOs) stopped Josesito Lopez (30-5, 18 KOs) in a six round war at the Home Depot Center in Carson Ca.
Both fighters came out with a tactical approach, both utilized the jab to set up power shots but it was Lopez who got off first with huge over-hand rights. Maidana followed suit with a right of his own and a stunning left hook later in the opening round. From there it was a give-and-take firefight with Maidana being a bit more active and accurate in the second. Looping right hands from Lopez had the 8000+ crowd roaring and a right hand-left hook combination had them on their feet in the third. Lopez came out aggressive in the fourth and landed a vicious combination that staggered the Argentinian fighter. A knockdown that was ruled a slip proved just how hurt Maidana was. The pace slowed a bit in the fifth but a late flurry seemed to hurt Lopez towards the end of the round. Going into the sixth, the fight seemed up for grabs but a minute in, a big over-hand sent Lopez down to one knee for an eight count. Lopez made it to his feet but found himself under a hail of fire. Two follow up right hands prompted referee Lou Morret to step in and wave it off with Lopez on his feet. Time was 1:18.
“It was a good stoppage by the referee but I wanted to fight some more” said Maidana
“I felt like I was doing pretty good” said Lopez “I thought the stoppage was a little premature. Yea he stunned me but we are professionals and we can fight out of situations like that”
In a dramatic ending to a back-and-forth battle, Erislandy Lara (17-1-2, 11 KOs) stopped Alfredo Angulo (22-2-1, 13 KOs) in the tenth round of a scheduled 12. Lara came out at the opening bell and easily out boxed Angulo for three straight rounds. In the fourth however, the always dangerous Angulo caught Lara in the blue corner and unleashed a shot that sent him crashing to the canvas. Lara used movement to survive the round and went back to boxing. Angulo kept the pressure on but more importantly he began to dig to the body with furious left hooks. In the eighth, the body work paid off as he caught a fleeing Lara on the chin for the second knockdown of the night. Angulo, who seemed to be rallying back was on the offensive when he was hit with a straight hand that swelled up his left eye so much that he could not continue. Angulo turned his back and referee Raul Caiz Sr. had no choice but to step in and call a halt to the action at 1:50 of the tenth round. *It was suggested that Angulo may have fractured his orbital bone
On the undercard;
Houston’s Jermell Charlo (21-0, 10 KOs) edged out a close decision over Demetrius Hopkins (33-2-1, 13 KOs) after twelve hard rounds in the jr middleweight division. Charlo pressed the action but without much success as Hopkins laid back and waited to counter. The elusive Hopkins kept it close but mostly by nullifying the action. Boos from the crowd erupted after nearly every round. The dissatisfied crowd even turned their attention to a fight that broke out in the crowd in the third round. When all was said and done the crowd even boo’d the 115-113 scores for the winner, Charlo.
Venezuela’s Johan Perez (17-1-1, 12 KOs) pulled out a unanimous decision victory over previously unbeaten Yoshihiro Kamegai (22-1-1, 19 KOs) after ten all action rounds. Both fighters seemed to have their moments but it was Perez who was more active and accurate as the fight progressed. With the win, Perez claimed the vacant WBA international welterweight strap. One judge had it a complete shutout for Perez with a score of 100-90 while the other two managed to find a couple rounds to give to Kamegai, seeing it 98-92 and 97-93 also for Perez.
2012 US Olympian Joseph Diaz Jr. (5-0, 3 KOs) scored a TKO victory over Rigoberto Casillas (8-10, 6 KOs) after four rounds of action. Diaz controlled the action from the jump and landed accurate combinations at will.
Unbeaten Gerald Washington (8-0, 5 KOs) won a unanimous decision over Sherman Williams (35-13-2, 19 KOs) after eight uneventful rounds. Washington scored a knockdown in the second but was unable to finish his opponent. Scores would read 79-72 all around.
Santa Ana’s Ronny Rios (21-0, 10 KOs) scored a sixth round TKO over veteran Leonilo Miranda (32-6, 30 KOs) in a bout scheduled for ten. Rios got off to a slow start but soon found his rhythm and was ripping combinations to the head and body. Referee Pat Russell would step in and call a halt to the action at 1:37 at the request of Miranda’s corner, who apparently had seen enough.
Ireland’s Jamie Kavanagh (13-0-1, 5 KOs) stopped veteran Adolpho Landeros (21-31-2, 10 KOs) after three brutal rounds. Kavanagh pressed the action from the opening bell and kept the combinations flowing through the three rounds. A vicious body attack in the third had an outgunned Landeros questioning whether he should answer the call for the fourth. He did not. The referee would call a halt to the bout at the request of Landeros’ corner
Undefeated Jr featherweight Manuel “Tino” Avila (12-0, KOs) scored a one-sided unanimous decision over Jamal Parram (6-8-1, 4 KOs) after eight rounds. Scores were 80-72 all around.
Undefeated EdgarValerio (3-0, 2 KOs) edged out a split decision over a tough David Reyes (2-3-1) after four rounds. Scores were 37-35 for Reyes and 37-35 twice for Valerio