Official Scorecards: 115-113, 115-113, 117-111 For Teofimo Lopez
Round 12: What a performance from Teofimo Lopez! About a minute into the round, Taylor absorbed a powerful blow and was momentarily shaken. Teofimo then delivered a series of three punches, including a solid body shot. Due to fatigue and mental exhaustion, Taylor struggled to defend himself and was caught off guard by a powerful right hook towards the end. Teofimo aimed for a knockout, but Taylor managed to hold on as the final 10 seconds approached. 118-110 Teofimo Lopez
Round 11: Josh Taylor needs a KO to win. Taylor aims for a knockout punch, but Teofimo isn’t sticking around for it. Teofimo lands a left hook, follows with an uppercut that Taylor barely absorbs, and they connect again with a straight right. Teofimo lands a 1-2 punch combination and Taylor is nowhere to be seen.
Round 10: Teofimo Lopez is quicker, sharper, and fresher than Josh Taylor. Teofimo’s confidence is visibly growing and growing, as he adjusts his strategy and effortlessly dodges the champion’s punches. Taylor responds with increased caution due to the threat of counterpunching. Taylor appears tied up, as if he’s unable to implement his offensive strategy. Time is increasingly becoming the champion’s enemy. Meanwhile, Teofimo is completely dominating the ring, dancing and clowning around.
Round 9: Lopez stuns Taylor with an uppercut, leaving Taylor with no response. He lands another shot that shakes Taylor, followed by another. Lopez attempts a wild left uppercut that doesn’t connect. Taylor appears to lack any real strategy at this point. Even in the moments when no punches are being thrown, it’s clear Lopez is in total control. Lopez lands a vicious right hand and then a straight punch that pushes Taylor back to the ropes. Teofimo is “taking over” the fight. 88-83 Teofimo Lopez.
Round 8: Great fight! Taylor started off strong with a solid left hand. Lopez responded with several right hands, consistently landing his power punches. Taylor retaliated with a well-timed left-hand counter. Lopez began to taunt Taylor with a bit of footwork. Taylor landed a right hand and then retreated, only for Lopez to score with a lunging left hand. It appears Lopez has is starting to completely dominate, leaving Taylor seemingly disoriented.
Round 7: Lopez successfully lands a jumping left hook. Taylor returns a left to the body. As Taylor moves in, Lopez manages to slide in a left to the body. Taylor struggles to respond as Lopez connects a left and a right that seem to rattle Taylor. Taylor manages to land a right hand, but it doesn’t seem to faze Lopez. Taylor pushes Lopez back into the ropes, and Lopez retaliates with a right hand. They trade blows until the end of the round, but it’s a clear Lopez round.
Round 6: Taylor seems to be neglecting his jab, which gives Teofimo some breathing room to strategize about improving his efficiency. After a low blow, Taylor gains a brief respite. Teofimo lands a powerful punch and then teases Taylor about missing a few jabs. Big right hook lands and shakes Taylor. Round for Teo. 58-56 Lopez
Round 5: Taylor switches stance, disrupting Lopez’s focus. Teofimo heightens his threat level with an increase in speed. Taylor commands the ring’s center, but a jab to his face is a stark reminder not to be complacent. He attempts to close in, but misjudges the range, tipping the advantage in Lopez’s favor.
Round 4: Best round of the fight for Lopez so far. Around 40 seconds in, Taylor lands a solid left. Teofimo is clearly looking for counterattacks and perfect shots. Lopez lands a good, cuffing right, making Taylor stagger slightly. He’s attempting the uppercut but it’s not quite there yet. This fight is shaping up to be close and tense. Teo sends a right hand towards the top, but it’s blocked. Taylor attempts a late combination, but Teofimo pushes him back and tries to close the round with a bang.
Round 3: Taylor shoves Lopez, causing him to sit on the ropes, and lands a punch while Lopez is in that position. This results in a warning for Taylor. In an attempt to throw an uppercut, Lopez loses his footing. However, he manages to land a left hook and a counter left. He’s applying pressure on Taylor once more. Taylor, on the other hand, is looking for a window of opportunity and demonstrating aggression. 29-28 Taylor.
Round 2: Lopez kicked off with a light jab and followed with a missed wild right. He then found a solid counter left as Taylor advanced. Lopez delivered a strong right, shaking Taylor slightly. Taylor responded with a powerful body shot, pressing Lopez to the ropes and unleashing a quick two-handed flurry. Taylor connected a strong left and a late right in the round. This round seemed to swing more in Lopez’s favor.
Round 1: The first half-minute saw Taylor leading with the jab. It was a cautious first minute. Taylor found a home for a left hand, followed by a brief inside exchange before they pulled apart and Taylor landed another left. Lopez answered with a small left on the inside, and Taylor connected an uppercut just as the referee stepped in for a break. Taylor got a warning for pushing Teofimo down. A counter shot from Taylor to the body scored, though it wasn’t a heavy hit. Teofimo’s nose showed the first sign of damage.
Undercard Results:
- Xander Zayas really gave it his all in that fight! In the beginning, it seemed like it’d be over in a heartbeat. Zayas knocked Ronald Cruz flat just 30 seconds into the first round! But Cruz, true to his “Diablo” nickname, showed some serious resilience. He made it through to the final bell, despite that rocky start. Looking at the scorecards, it was a unanimous decision: 80-71, 80-71, and 80-71. The win definitely went to Zayas. But you’ve got to give it to Cruz for hanging in there!
- Robson Conceicao’s anticipated return to the ring turned out to be a bit of a misfire. The fight didn’t go past the second round as a head clash sent Nicolas Polanco, the tough Dominican, crashing down. Dazed and unsteady, Polanco confessed his disorientation to the referee, who then put a halt to the match, slapping it with a ‘no decision’ verdict.
- Omar Rosario, the boxing machine from Puerto Rico, keeps his record blemish-free, knocking out another victory against Juan Carlos Rivera. The judges tipping their scorecards in his favor after an intense 8 rounds of battle in the super-lightweight division.
- Undefeated heavyweight beast, Damian Knyba, continues his knockout streak, securing a decisive eight-round unanimous decision against the seasoned warrior, 39-year-old Helaman Olguin. The judges were pretty much in harmony, scoring 79-73 across the board. With Knyba’s record now boasting 12-0 and a not-too-shabby 7 KOs
- Featherweight rising star Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington, boasting an unblemished 8-0 record with 5 KOs, secured an eighth-round victory against Luis Porozo courtesy of a referee’s intervention. The fight was called at 2:17, and despite Carrington clearly dominating, the decision was a bit controversial. Porozo, with a record of 16-7, 9 KOs, wasn’t in any apparent danger, which made the late stoppage seem somewhat unjustified.