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Avila Perspective, Chap. 198: Teofimo Lopez and More

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When you take a look at Teofimo Lopez in the prize ring its easy to determine that he possesses athleticism that few can rival. The speed, power, stamina are his to command and he drips with confidence.

Sometimes that turns off fans.

The uber athletic Lopez (16-1, 12 KOs) jumps back in the prize ring, this time at super lightweight and faces Mexico’s Pedro Campa (34-1-1, 23 KOs) on Saturday, Aug. 13, in Las Vegas at Resorts World. ESPN will show the Top Rank card.

“It’s the takeover, the take back, whatever you want to call it,” says Lopez, 25.

It’s Lopez’s first fight since his upset loss to George Kambosos Jr. last November in New York City. It’s one thing to lose a decision out-of-town, its another to lose in your hometown.

Maybe it was a case of the rival boroughs?

Brooklyn-raised Lopez sauntered into Madison Square Garden with a swag worthy of Rick James, then walked out as mystified as pitcher Pedro Martinez after another Yankee shellacking. Boxing can be like that sometimes.

Though both fighters in the lightweight title clash traded knockdowns and it seemed Lopez was on his way to victory, the judges scored in favor of the Aussie and many fans agreed. It was a costly loss. Now Lopez returns at a heavier weight and ready to “take over.”

Las Vegas

Mexico’s Campa has the height advantage and has plenty of experience against other sturdy Mexicans. This is only the second time he laces up outside of Mexico and even then, he fought a fellow countryman. But he packs power.

“He’s a Mexican veteran. 23 knockouts. Mexican style. Comes forward to fight and it’s all about connect when I need it,” said Lopez about his foe on Saturday.

The Brooklyn native feels confident and ready to regain his place at the top of the summit.

“It’s hard to be humble when you are as great as I am,” he says.

Despite the loss last year, Lopez has no doubt he can reload and defeat any of the champions or contenders at super lightweight. He doubts they will accept the challenge.

“All those boys don’t want it. I even called out Tank,” said Lopez claiming that promoter Floyd Mayweather is protecting Gervonta Davis.

In this fight Lopez expects a sturdy test from Campa.

“You are going to see the fruits of my labor and how the doors open up after this,” he said.

Campa hears and reads all the talk on the Internet and enlisted the help of famed trainer Manny Robles for this fight.

“I really don’t care what people think. I know what I’m facing too. He’s a great fighter one of the best,” said Campa. “So, I’m just concentrating and I think I’m going to win. I’m just very prepared about this fight.”

Former champion Lopez expects no less than a battle.

“This guy is in front of us wants to stop my dreams. Every time we step in the ring, I’m risking my life. We double down, every time,” said Lopez at the press conference on Thursday. “This is going to be an all-out war and I love that.”

Lopez is reloading.

Other Bouts

Puerto Rican super welterweight bomber Xander Zayas (13-0, 9 KOs) meets Mexican tough guy Elias Espadas (22-4, 15 KOs) who has never been knocked out in an eight round bout for the vacant NABO junior middleweight title.

“I’m anxious fighting for my first regional title,” said Zayas, 19, at media day in Las Vegas. “I’m excited to be on this card with Teofimo and all the prospects.”

Local prospect Andres Cortes (17-0, 10 KOs) fights Mexico’s Abraham Montoya (20-3-1, 14 KOs) in a lightweight match set for eight rounds. Cortes has three consecutive knockout wins. Montoya has never been stopped.

Light heavyweight clash looms

A potential championship fight between current WBA light heavyweight titlist Dmitry Bivol and Mexico’s Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez was announced Wednesday by Golden Boy Promotions after the WBA stamped the Mexican as a legitimate mandatory.

“We find the ruling fair and honest considering Zurdo Ramirez has fought two elimination bouts and has been the number one contender for this fight since his victory against Sullivan Barrera in 2021. We will continue to work hard to support Ramirez as he campaigns to one day become a two-division world champion,” stated Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya on Wednesday.

Bivol (20-0, 11 KOs) recently defeated Saul “Canelo” Alvarez this past May in Las Vegas and has held the WBA title since 2017 after defeating Sullivan Barrera. The Russian fighter has defended it seven times since.

Mexico’s Ramirez (44-0, 30 KOs) formerly held the WBO super middleweight title and defended it six times since 2016. He has five fights under his belt since moving up to the light heavyweight class.

Top Rank in SD

Next week, Top Rank returns to San Diego, CA., with WBO featherweight titlist Emanuel Navarrete defending once again at Pechanga Arena on Saturday, Aug. 20. This time the Mexican warrior known as “El Vaquero” fights fellow Mexican Eduardo Baez of Mexicali.

It’s a loaded fight card also featuring welterweight contender Giovani Santillan, Lindolfo Delgado, and Nico Ali Walsh the grandson of the late great Muhammad Ali.

Tickets are on sale.

Fights to Watch

Saturday, ESPN+ 3:35 p.m. Jose Durantes (21-2) vs Edy Mercado (19-7-6)

Saturday, ESPN 7 p.m. Teofimo Lopez (16-1) vs Pedro Campa (34-1-1).

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Najee Lopez Steps up in Class and Wins Impressively at Plant City

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Garry Jonas’ ProBox series returned to its regular home in Plant City, Florida, tonight with a card topped by a 10-round light heavyweight match between fast-rising Najee Lopez and former world title challenger Lenin Castillo. This was considered a step-up fight for the 25-year-old Lopez, an Atlanta-born-fighter of Puerto Rican heritage. Although the 36-year-old Castillo had lost two of his last three heading in, he had gone the distance with Dimitry Bivol and Marcus Browne and been stopped only once (by Callum Smith).

Lopez landed the cleaner punches throughout. Although Castillo seemed unfazed during the first half of the fight, he returned to his corner at the end of round five exhibiting signs of a fractured jaw.

In the next round, Lopez cornered him against the ropes and knocked him through the ropes with a left-right combination. Referee Emil Lombardo could have stopped the fight right there, but he allowed the courageous Castillo to carry on for a bit longer, finally stopping the fight as Castillo’s corner and a Florida commissioner were signaling that it was over.

The official time was 2:36 of round six. Bigger fights await the talented Lopez who improved to 13-0 with his tenth win inside the distance. Castillo declined to 25-7-1.

Co-Feature

In a stinker of a heavyweight fight, Stanley Wright, a paunchy, 34-year-old North Carolina journeyman, scored a big upset with a 10-round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Jeremiah Milton.

Wright carried 280 pounds, 100 pounds more than in his pro debut 11 years ago. Although he was undefeated (13-0, 11 KOs), he had never defeated an opponent with a winning record and his last four opponents were a miserable 19-48-2. Moreover, he took the fight on short notice.

What Wright had going for him was fast hands and, in the opening round, he put Milton on the canvas with a straight right hand. From that point, Milton fought tentatively and Wright, looking fatigued as early as the fourth round, fought only in spurts. It seemed doubtful that he could last the distance, but Milton, the subject of a 2021 profile in these pages, was wary of Wright’s power and unable to capitalize. “It’s almost as if Milton is afraid to win,” said ringside commentator Chris Algieri during the ninth stanza when the bout had devolved into a hugfest.

The judges had it 96-93 and 97-92 twice for the victorious Wright who boosted his record to 14-0 without improving his stature.

Also

In the TV opener, a 10-round contest in the junior middleweight division, Najee Lopez stablemate Darrelle Valsaint (12-0, 10 KOs) scored his career-best win with a second-round knockout of 35-year-old Dutch globetrotter Stephen Danyo (23-7-3).

A native Floridian of Haitian descent, the 22-year-old Valsaint was making his eighth start in Plant City. He rocked Danyo with a chopping right hand high on the temple and then, as Danyo slumped forward, applied the exclamation point, a short left uppercut. The official time was 2:17 of round two.

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Japanese Superstar Naoya Inoue is Headed to Vegas after KOing Ye Joon Kim

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Japan’s magnificent Naoya Inoue, appearing in his twenty-fourth title fight, scored his 11th straight stoppage tonight while successfully defending his unified super bantamweight title, advancing his record to 29-0 (26 KOs) at the expense of Ye Joon Kim. The match at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena came to an end at the 2:25 mark of round four when U.S. referee Mark Nelson tolled “10” over the brave but overmatched Korean.

Kim, raised in a Seoul orphanage, had a few good moments, but the “Monster” found his rhythm in the third round, leaving Kim with a purplish welt under his left eye. In the next frame, he brought the match to a conclusion, staggering the Korean with a left and then finishing matters with an overhand right that put Kim on the seat of his pants, dazed and wincing in pain.

Kim, who brought a 21-2-2 record, took the fight on 10 days’ notice, replacing Australia’s Sam Goodman who suffered an eye injury in sparring that never healed properly, forcing him to withdraw twice.

Co-promoter Bob Arum, who was in the building, announced that Inoue’s next fight would happen in Las Vegas in the Spring. Speculation centers on Mexico City’s Alan Picasso (31-0-1, 17 KOs) who is ranked #1 by the WBC. However, there’s also speculation that the 31-year-old Inoue may move up to featherweight and seek to win a title in a fifth weight class, in which case a potential opponent is Brandon Figueroa should he defeat former Inoue foe Stephen Fulton next weekend. In “olden days,” this notion would have been dismissed as the Japanese superstar and Figueroa have different promoters, but the arrival of Turki Alalshikh, the sport’s Daddy Warbucks, has changed the dynamic. Tonight, Naoya Inoue made his first start as a brand ambassador for Riyadh Season.

Simmering on the backburner is a megafight with countryman Junto Nakatani, an easy fight to make as Arum has ties to both. However, the powers-that-be would prefer more “marination.”

Inoue has appeared twice in Las Vegas, scoring a seventh-round stoppage of Jason Moloney in October of 2020 at the MGM Bubble and a third-round stoppage of Michael Dasmarinas at the Virgin Hotels in June of 2021.

Semi-wind-up

In a 12-round bout for a regional welterweight title, Jin Sasaki improved to 19-1-1 (17) with a unanimous decision over Shoki Sakai (29-15-3). The scores were 118-110, 117-111, and 116-112.

Also

In a bout in which both contestants were on the canvas, Toshiki Shimomachi (20-1-3) edged out Misaki Hirano (11-2), winning a majority decision. A 28-year-old Osaka southpaw with a fan-friendly style, the lanky Shimomachi, unbeaten in his last 22 starts, competes as a super bantamweight. A match with Inoue may be in his future.

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Eric Priest Wins Handily on Thursday’s Golden Boy card at the Commerce Casino

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Model turned fighter Eric Priest jabbed and jolted his way into the super middleweight rankings with a shutout decision win over veteran Tyler Howard on Thursday.

In his first main event Priest (15-0, 8 KOs) proved ready for contender status by defusing every attack Tennessee’s Howard (20-3, 11 KOs) could muster at Commerce Casino, the second fight in six days at the LA County venue.

All ticket monies collected on the Folden Boy Promotions card were contributed to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation as they battle wildfires sprouting all over Los Angeles County due to high winds.

Priest, 26, had never fought anyone near Howard’s caliber but used a ramrod jab to keep the veteran off-balance and unable to muster a forceful counter-attack. Round after round the Korean-American fighter pumped left jabs while circling his opposition.

Though hit with power shots, none seemed to faze Howard but his own blows were unable to put a dent in Priest. After 10 rounds of the same repetitive action all three judges scored the fight 100-90 for Priest who now wins a regional super middleweight title.

Priest also joins the top 15 rankings of the WBA organization.

In a fight between evenly matched middleweights, Jordan Panthen (11-0, 9 KOs) remained undefeated after 10 rounds versus DeAundre Pettus (12-4, 7 KOs). Though equally skilled, Panthen simply out-worked the South Caroliina fighter to win by unanimous decision. No knockdowns were scored.

Other Bouts

Grant Flores (8-0, 6 KOs) knocked out Costa Rica’s David Lobo Ramirez (17-4, 12 KOs) with two successive right uppercuts at 2:59 of the second round of the super welterweight fight.

Cayden Griffith (3-0, 3 KOs) used a left hook to the body to stop Mark Misiura at 1:43 of the second round in a super welterweight bout.

Jordan Fuentes (3-0) floored Brandon Badillo (0-3-1) in the third round and proceeded to win by decision after four rounds in a super bantamweight fight.

A super featherweight match saw Leonardo Sanchez (8-0) win by decision over Joseph Cruz Brown (10-12) after six rounds.

Photo credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

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