By: Sean Crose
Teofimo Lopez defended his WBO junior welterweight title towards the 38-7-2 Steve Claggett Saturday evening in Miami. Though he was anticipated to win, the 20-1 Lopez had rather a lot driving on his efficiency towards Claggett, for quite a few excessive profile fights loomed simply over the horizon. Claggett had a formidable first whereas Lopez seemed to be surveying the terrain. Lopez remained cautious within the preliminary half of the second, however began to show up the quantity within the later half of the chapter. By the third, Lopez was preventing extra comfortably, and was in a position to land clear.
The defending champion actually began to tag his man within the fourth. To his credit score, nonetheless, Claggett saved pushing ahead. Now utterly in management, Lopez was in a position to choose his pictures within the fifth. The underside line was that the American was just too sturdy for the sport Canadian challenger. With that being stated, the veteran Claggett was aggressive and expert sufficient to erase any doubt that he was a certified challenger for Lopez’ title.
By the halfway level of the battle, issues had settled into a definite sample: Claggett would come ahead behind a jab whereas Lopez employed a relaxed, at occasions even Mayweatheresque, defensive place, parrying and touchdown exhausting at will. The seventh had Lopez zipping stinging jabs on the nonetheless aggressive Claggett. Lopez harm Claggett within the eighth – sufficient that it was value questioning what the challenger had left. With that in thoughts, nonetheless, Claggett continued to maintain urgent onward.
By the ninth, it was clear Lopez was having a simple evening for himself, as Claggett’s sheer toughness might need been the one cause the 140 pound champion wasn’t attempting to complete his man off. Certainly, Lopez took to throwing his pictures in a quick and livid method on the finish of the tenth. The eleventh continued to point out the appreciable distinction in ability and energy between the 2 combatants. By the twelfth and ultimate spherical, Claggett seemed to be working out of steam. Irrespective of. Lopez had placed on a clinic the complete battle, one which was acknowledged by the judges by way of a unanimous determination win.
*Photos: Prime Rank
