Teofimo Lopez abdicated his WBO 140-pound title after defeating Josh Taylor on June 10, however the younger gun nonetheless holds The Ring championship. (Photograph by Mikey Williams/Prime Rank Inc by way of Getty Photos)
Appears to be like like our Ring journal junior welterweight champ is again in motion to defend his belt.
Teofimo Lopez will defend his Ring championship and his WBO belt in opposition to Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday, Feb. 8, at Michelob Extremely Area at Mandalay Bay Resort and On line casino in Las Vegas.
Lopez-Ortiz headlines an action-packed televised doubleheader that kicks off Massive Sport Weekend.
Within the 10-round light-weight co-feature, U.S. Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis faces Puerto Rican former two-division world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza.
Lopez-Ortiz and Davis-Pedraza shall be broadcast dwell on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT. The cardboard is promoted by Prime Rank, in affiliation with Takeover Promotions and CES Boxing.
“February 8 at Mandalay Bay, ‘The Takeover’ will entertain inside that squared circle as solely I can!,” stated Lopez. “To the boxing followers all over the world, I look to not solely dominate and break down Jamaine Ortiz, however to do it in such a trend that my division shall be placed on alert.“
Lopez (19-1, 13 KOs) captured the IBF light-weight world title by defeating Richard Commey by way of second-round knockout in December 2019. The next October, he bested pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko to win the WBA andWBO belts. 13 months later, he misplaced the belts by way of stunning cut up resolution to George Kambosos Jr. The 26-year-old then moved as much as junior welterweight in August 2022 with a seventh-round TKO in opposition to Pedro Campa and a cut up resolution over Spanish southpaw Sandor Martin that December.
In his newest fistic tour de power, Lopez upset former undisputed champion Josh Taylor to seize the WBO and Ring Journal titles.
“Jamaine is hard. I’d know, as a result of I confronted him again within the beginner days in 2015 for the Nationwide Golden Gloves Championship. I’ll present the world that champions don’t flinch when confronted with challenges. They rise and shine the brightest when the stakes are highest. This one is for all my individuals on the Takeover Categorical! Let’s present the world as soon as once more what actual boxing appears like.”
Ortiz (17-1-1, 8 KOs), a seven-year professional, secured the NABF light-weight title by outpointing Nahir Albright in February 2022. The Worcester, Massachusetts, native then notched a choice win in opposition to former world champion Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring that Might and rounded off the yr with an distinctive exhibiting in opposition to Lomachenko. Ortiz dropped the tightly contested battle to “Loma” by unanimous resolution however responded with a one-sided factors verdict over Antonio Moran in September.
Ortiz stated, “That is crucial combat of my profession. It’s my first world title bout. I imagine this combat will convey out the easiest in me, and I’m wanting ahead to coming house as the brand new champion!”
Davis (9-0, 6 KOs), from Norfolk, Virginia, has graduated from prospect to contender and is inching nearer to a world title alternative. After going 3-0 as a professional, he captured a silver medal on the Tokyo Olympics. In November 2021, he signed a long-term promotional contract with Prime Rank and has since tallied six victories. He had an lively 2023 wherein he stopped Anthony Yigit by way of ninth-round TKO in April and shut out Francesco Patera by 10-round resolution in July. In October, he bested Philadelphia-born contender Nahir Albright by majority resolution that was later dominated a no contest by the Texas Division of Licensing and Regulation attributable to a constructive marijuana take a look at.
“I’ve all of the respect on the earth for Jose Pedraza and what he’s completed within the professional recreation,” Davis stated. “That is kind of step up I must get to the following degree, and I do know Pedraza will convey his A-game. It’s his final likelihood to get again to title competition, however I gained’t let that occur. I’ll present out for the followers in Las Vegas and everybody watching on ESPN.”
Pedraza (29-5-1, 14 KOs), from Cidra, Puerto Rico, gained the IBF junior light-weight world title in opposition to Andrey Klimov in June 2015 and made title defenses in opposition to Edner Cherry and Stephen Smith. He captured the WBO light-weight world title in opposition to Rey Beltran in August 2018. After dropping the title in a unification showdown in opposition to Lomachenko, he moved as much as 140 kilos, the place he a confronted the likes of Jose Zepeda, Jose Ramirez, Richard Commey, Lindolfo Delgado and Arnold Barboza Jr. Pedraza returns to the light-weight division in hopes of one other world title run.
Pedraza stated, “Keyshawn Davis goes to expertise what it’s prefer to face a two-division world champion. He’s by no means confronted a boxer of my caliber, nor has he confronted anybody even near the caliber of my hardest opponents. He needs to proceed climbing up the ranks, however on February 8, he’ll be falling off the ladder.”
The ESPN+-streamed undercard incorporates a gamut of up-and-coming abilities.
19-year-old light-weight phenom, Emiliano Fernando Vargas (8-0, 7 KOs), son of former junior middleweight world champion Fernando Vargas, will see motion in a six-round conflict in opposition to Tomas Ornelas (7-3, 5 KOs). Vargas went 6-0 with 5 knockouts in his sophomore yr as a professional and is coming off a second-round destruction of Brandon Mendoza in November at T-Cellular Area.
Light-weight prodigy Abdullah Mason (11-0, 9 KOs) will combat Benjamin Gurment (8-0-3, 5 KOs) in his first scheduled eight-rounder. Mason will look to capitalize on his 5-0 2023 marketing campaign, which included a second-round TKO versus Jose Cardenas in November.
Unbeaten middleweight Javier “Milwaukee Made” Martinez (9-0-1, 3 KOs) will tackle Raul Salomon (12-2, 10 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Martinez dropped Isaiah Clever thrice en path to a first-round knockout in November.
Former Crew USA beginner standout Charlie Sheehy (8-0, 5 KOs) will step as much as the eight-round distance for the primary time. Sheehy vanquished Jesus Vasquez Jr. by unanimous resolution in November.
Unbeaten light-weight prospect Alan “Child Kansas” Garcia (10-0, 8 KOs), the power-punching dynamo from Ulysses, Kansas, sees motion in a six-rounder.
Former nationwide beginner champion Artwork Barrera Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs) returns to the ring in a four-round junior welterweight combat.
A press launch by Prime Rank was used on this article.
