- After winning by unanimous decision, Lopez mocked angry spectators in Las Vegas.
- Previously, Keyshawn Davis earned a TKO victory over Jose Pedraza and called out Lopez.
- DailyMail.com provides the latest international sports news.
He barely looked like the fighter who dominated Josh Taylor for his 140-pound title in June, but Teofimo Lopez was fortunate to improve to 20-1 on Thursday in Las Vegas with a unanimous decision victory over challenger Jamaine Ortiz.
Fight fans at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas began Thursday’s WBO junior welterweight title fight by cheering Lopez’s name (“Teo! Teo! Teo!”) only to boo the champion defender in the sixth round of his clownish and mediocre performance.
He then responded to those boos after the controversial victory, telling furious spectators: ‘Suck ad*** no-homo!’
Unfortunately, it was the perfect ending to a woeful performance by someone considered one of boxing’s greatest talents.
Unfortunately, it was the perfect ending to the pitiful performance of so
A fight poster for Lopez’s title defense against Jamaine Ortiz of Worcester, Massachusetts (right)
The immediate aftermath of López’s victory was a departure from his two previous victories, but no less strange.
After escaping with a debatable split decision win over Sandor Martín in 2022, an emotional Lopez was seen asking his corner “do I still have it?”
But Lopez left no doubt against Josh Taylor in June 2023, winning the WBO junior welterweight title by unanimous decision at the Madison Square Garden theater. Only after this victory, López, overjoyed, launched a surprise retirement announcement in the media.
Reporters didn’t believe Lopez and they were right when he announced his fight with Ortiz, a lightweight from Worcester, Massachusetts, best known for beating Jamel Herring and losing to Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2022.
Keyshawn Davis celebrates after beating José Pedraza on Thursday night in Las Vegas
Beforehand, Keyshawn Davis dismantled José Pedraza before scoring a stoppage midway through the sixth round.
Davis was lackluster for two rounds before finally getting to Pedraza in the third with a series of body shots along the ropes.
Pedraza would later take successive rights to the temple in the middle of the ring before ducking his head and going into full defensive mode to survive the round.
But it wasn’t until the sixth that Davis unleashed all his fury on Pedraza, who looked 34 years old. The fight was stopped when Pedraza’s defense began to hold out under a relentless bombardment from Davis.
Some fans online criticized the stoppage, but in addition to taking a significant beating, Pedraza appeared to have a significant cut on the right side of his face.
Keyshawn Davis throws a right hand to the head of José Pedraza at the end of their fight on Thursday night.
Davis, 24, improves to a perfect 10-0 and appears to be entering the title picture at 135 pounds.
“I’m the best at 135,” said Davis, who attributed his recent success to quitting marijuana.
He then called out to the headliner, López, in the ring: ‘Teófimo, you know I’m coming! You and your father. Let’s set it up.’
Davis even went so far as to say that he is willing to fight Lopez at junior welterweight.
“I’ll go straight to 140,” Davis said. ‘Come on!’