Teofimo Lopez Wins, but ‘Big Baby’ Anderson Steals the Show at MSG

Top Rank was at the Hulu Theater of Madison Square Garden tonight with a show that piggy-backed the Heisman awards ceremony show on ESPN. Former unified lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez was featured in the main event. Teofimo had scored two of his most sensational wins at this venue on Heisman night, but tonight he was extended the distance by Spanish southpaw Sandor Martin and when the final bell sounded there was some doubt as to whether he would emerge victorious.

The decision was split, but the win for Lopez was richly deserved as he was the aggressor throughout. Two of the judges favored him (97-92 and 96-93), overruling the contrarian who had it 95-94 for the Spaniard.

A clash of heads in the opening round left Sandor Martin with a cut on the bridge of his nose. When his nose started bleeding, the presumption was that it had been broken. In round two, however, he scored the bout’s lone knockdown, knocking Teofimo on all fours with a grazing right hook. Lopez, however, wasn’t hurt and had the best of it as the round progressed. He improved his record to 19-1 (13) while Martin declined to 40-3.

In theory, Lopez’s next fight will come against the winner of the rematch between Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall. However, in boxing nothing is ever etched in stone.

Co-Feature

In the co-feature, Jared “Big Baby” Anderson continued his assault on the heavyweight division with a second-round stoppage of Jerry Forrest. The end came at the 2:34 mark after Anderson unhinged Forrest from his senses with an overhand right that landed on the top of his head. Forrest bent over as if he was going to pitch forward and while that never happened it was plain that he was out on his feet. In fact, the second round was delayed while the ringside doctor checked to see that Forrest was still lucid.

It was the fifth straight second-round KO for Anderson who has won all 13 of his fights inside the distance. Tonight was his first 10-rounder and he was fighting a veteran in Jerry Forrest who was arguably the victim of a bum decision on his last visit to New York and had been stopped only once previously, that coming way back in 2013. Forrest, who declined to 20-6-2, landed a few good punches of his own but was seriously outgunned. “Big Baby” was credited with landing 52 power punches in roughly four-and-a-half minutes of action.

Other Bouts of note

Super welterweight Xander Zayas was extended the distance by Alexis Salazar but won an 8-round unanimous decision. The judges had it 80-72 and 79-73 twice.

More was expected of Zayas (15-0, 10 KOs) who has designs on headlining Top Rank’s traditional Puerto Rican Day fight card at Madison Square Garden in June. However, off tonight’s performance, the 20-year-old phenom may have to play second banana to an established headliner. Salazar, who had Freddie Roach in his corner, declined to 25-5 but made a good showing relative to what was expected of him.

TV commentator Timothy Bradley calls Keyshawn Davis a master technician, high praise for the former Olympic silver medalist who had only six fights under his belt going into tonight’s clash with Juan Carlos Burgos. But Davis, who improved to 7-0 (5) with a one-sided decision, showed once again that he is headed toward big things. In Burgos, 35-6-3 heading in, he was stepping up in class against a three-time world title challenger who had never been stopped and went the distance with such notables as Mikey Garcia, and Devin Haney.

Keyshawn won all eight rounds on all three cards.

Elsewhere:

In Omaha, Terence Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs) retained his WBO world welterweight title with a clean sixth-round knockout of David Avanesyan (29-4-1). Check back tomorrow for a more detailed story about this odd promotion.

Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank via Getty Images

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