Teofimo Lopez Jr. successfully defended his Ring Magazine and WBO 140-pound titles with a controversial unanimous decision victory over Jamaine Ortiz in Las Vegas, Nevada. The match took place at the Michelob Ultra Arena at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, where Lopez secured the win in front of a crowd of 6,206.
The fight was scored 115-113 by judges Tim Cheatham and David Sutherland, and 117-111 by judge Steve Weisfeld, all in favor of Lopez. Despite the controversy, Lopez expressed his readiness to take on new challenges, stating, “Next up for me is Glory. None of these guys want to fight me. I’ll fight. [Terence] Crawford. I am here. I’m ready. Always ready. I’m younger, more beautiful, 25 years old and a two-time unified champion.”
The match saw Ortiz adopting a cautious, defensive style, while Lopez tried to create a circus-like atmosphere with his performance. Throughout the rounds, Ortiz failed to fully engage with Lopez, resulting in a lack of action that disappointed some observers.
The bout became even more contentious when referee Harvey Dock stopped the fight in the seventh round to examine a cut above Ortiz’s left eyebrow, leading to a stream of red down the fighter’s face. Despite some moments of aggression from Ortiz, Lopez managed to control the pace of the fight, ultimately winning the final three rounds on the official judges’ scorecards.
The post-fight reaction on social media highlighted the divided opinions on the outcome, with many expressing discontent over the decision, while others supported the judges’ scores. Despite the controversial nature of the win, Lopez remained confident and ready for his upcoming challenges in the 140-pound division.
