TEMECULA, California – Assertion made.
Jonathan Lopez put the featherweight division on discover Friday evening, dropping former world title challenger Eduardo Baez as soon as en path to a 10-round unanimous resolution victory earlier than a close to sellout crowd on the Pechanga Resort and On line casino.
All three judges scored the bout 97-92 for Lopez, who improved to 11-0, 7 knockouts.
The southpaw Lopez was efficient from the opening bell, connecting with left and proper uppercuts to Baez’s head. Baez made it simple for Lopez to attach as Baez would cost in, hoping to attach with overhand proper crosses or two-punch combos.
Baez had his finest second in spherical 3, connecting with straight proper fingers to the pinnacle as he had Lopez pinned towards the ropes. Lopez would settle right into a rhythm by the fifth spherical. He would make the most of angles to attach with two and three-punch combos to the pinnacle. Lopez would additionally combine his assault, touchdown lead left crosses to the pinnacle as Baez continued to cost into Lopez’s punch vary.
Through the fifth and sixth rounds, Lopez would sit down on his punches, persevering with to throw lead left crosses and proper hooks to the pinnacle. A reduce developed over the best eye of Baez, probably from a punch throughout the center rounds.
Sensing he was down on the scorecards, Baez went on the assault within the eighth spherical. He threw an abundance of punches, discovering some success to the pinnacle and physique. Halfway via the ninth spherical, a left cross landed on Baez’s chin, staggering him throughout the ring. Baez backed right into a nook, prompting referee Ray Corona to manage a standing eight-count, ruling the nook padding held Baez up on his ft.
Lopez outboxed Baez throughout the ultimate spherical, content material to struggle from exterior as Baez appeared to land one huge punch to the pinnacle.
The 20-year-old Lopez was coming off a win in his final bout on Could 3, knocking out Osvaldo Nunez Medina within the second spherical. Previous to the Baez struggle, Lopez had stopped his earlier 5 opponents.
Lopez is educated by Eddy Reynoso, who additionally trains undisputed tremendous middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez.
Baez, who’s initially from Mexicali, Mexico and now resides throughout the U.S. border in Calexico, California, falls to 21-5-2, 7 KOs.
In his final bout on December 10, the 27-year-old misplaced a detailed split-decision to once-beaten fringe featherweight contender Arnold Khegai. In his earlier struggle on August 20, Baez was knocked out by then-WBO world featherweight titleholder Emanuel Navarrete within the sixth spherical in a struggle Baez was up on two of the three judges’ scorecards on the time of the knockout.
Within the co-feature bout, junior middleweight prospect Fernando Vargas, Jr. received by knockout after late-sub Heber Rondon (20-5, 13 KOs) of Venezuela didn’t reply the bell for the third spherical.
The 26-year-old Vargas, who resides in North Las Vegas, Nevada, improved to 9-0, 9 KOs.
Vargas, the son of former two-time world junior middleweight champion Fernando Vargas, was the more-effective fighter, outboxing and touchdown the more-telling punches.
With a couple of minute left within the second spherical, Rondon threw a left straight left, however started wincing in ache. Rondon tried to struggle on, however struggled to throw something of substance because the spherical progressed. On the finish of the spherical, Rondon’s nook threw within the towel as Rondon, who has now misplaced his final 5 bouts, complained of ache to his left shoulder.
Junior bantamweight contender Adelaida Ruiz dropped Maria Cecilia Roman as soon as en path to a knockout win within the eighth spherical.
Ruiz, who resides within the Los Angeles suburb of Lynwood, improved to 14-0-1, 8 KOs. She is presently ranked No. 5 by The Ring at 115 kilos.
The 34-year-old Ruiz was efficient in mixing her assault all through the struggle, however was only in throwing and touchdown left hooks to the physique.
Roman was recreation, however acquired punishment in every passing spherical. In direction of the tip of the sixth spherical, a counter proper to the pinnacle momentarily dropped Roman to 1 knee. Roman continued to struggle on, however Ruiz continued to land at will.
Halfway via the eighth spherical, a mix to the pinnacle staggered Roman. Ruiz went in to finish issues, backing Roman towards the ropes, forcing referee Ray Armendariz to cease the struggle at 1:19.
Roman, who resides in San Juan, Argentina, falls to 17-8.
Arduous-hitting gentle heavyweight Lawrence King received by knockout after former fringe middleweight contender Marcos Reyes of Mexico (37-10, 28 KOs) remained on his stool after the sixth spherical. The southpaw King was the more-accurate fighter, breaking Reyes down, who was recreation, however outclassed.
Though he had his moments within the center rounds, Reyes’ nook informed referee Eddie Hernandez that Reyes wouldn’t reply the bell for spherical seven. The southpaw King, who resides in close by San Bernardino, improved to 13-1, 11 KOs.
Junior middleweight prospect Mario Ramos of close by San Diego stopped Mexico’s Jesus Cruz Silva (6-3, 1 KO) at 2:09 of the fourth spherical. The 23-year-old Ramos was combating for the primary time in virtually a 12 months and improved to 11-0, 9 KOs.
In junior welterweight motion, Jimmie Nunez of Temecula improved to 4-1, 4 KOs, stopping Denver’s Deljerro Revello (1-6) at 1:39 of the fourth spherical. Revello went down from an accumulation of punches in spherical 2.
Middleweight Orlando Salgado of Grand Junction, Colorado defeated Squire Redfern of Temecula by unanimous resolution. All three judges scored the bout 39-37 for Salgado, who improved to 3-2, 2 KOs. Redfern was making his professional debut.
Within the opening bout of the MarvNation Promotions card, heavyweight Mike Diorio of Cortland, New York received his first professional struggle, defeating Ian Morgan by unanimous resolution. Scores had been 40-36, 40-36, and 39-37 for Diorio (1-5-1).
Each Redfern and Morgan additionally reside in Temecula and had been making their skilled debuts.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has lined boxing in Southern California and overseas since 2000. Francisco additionally covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He will be reached at [email protected]
Observe @FSalazarBoxing
