In developing news, super lightweight, Teofimo Lopez has booked his 20th fight, and it’s against ‘The Technician’, Jamaine Ortiz.
Lopez is coming fresh from a stellar victory he registered against Scottish fighter, Josh Taylor in June last year. At the New York fight, Lopez gave his opponent his career’s first loss, successfully defending his WBO title. While the victory pushed Lopez to the big leagues of the sport, his next fight against Ortiz braces to be one of the most crucial fights for the weight class.
Teofimo Lopez vs. Jamaine Ortiz on the cards
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Boxing insider, Michael Benson has reported that ‘The Takeover’ will be taking the title fight against Ortiz on the 8th of February. Ortiz defeated Antonio Moran via a unanimous decision in the 10-round encounter he had at the American Bank Center, Corpus Christi in September last year. The title fight is scheduled to take place in Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas. It will also feature Keyshawn Davis taking his fight against Puerto Rican fame, Jose Pedraza.
🥊 ANNOUNCED: Teofimo Lopez will defend his WBO super-lightweight world title vs Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday, Feb 8th in Las Vegas. Keyshawn Davis vs Jose Pedraza also on the show.
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) January 4, 2024
Earlier, Davis’ majority decision victory against Nahir Albright was flipped to a no-decision after the Texas commission suspended him for testing positive for marijuana. Promoted by Tank Rank, in association with Takeover Promotions and CES Boxing, the fight will be live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.
Lopez vows to put his division on alert
The Ring Magazine junior welterweight champion called his opponent, “tough.” Speaking about the fight against Ortiz, someone he’s fought prior in his amateur days, he added, “I’ll show the world that champions don’t flinch when faced with challenges. They rise and shine the brightest when the stakes are highest. This one is for all my people on the Takeover Express! Let’s show the world once again what real boxing looks like.”
Elaborating on what the fight means to him, the takeover further noted to the magazine, “February 8 at Mandalay Bay, ‘The Takeover’ will entertain inside that squared circle as only I can!” “To the boxing fans around the world, I look to not only dominate and break down Jamaine Ortiz, but to do it in such a fashion that my division will be put on alert.”
For 27-year-old Ortiz, the fight is the most important one in his career. He says, “This is the most important fight of my career. It’s my first world title bout. I believe this fight will bring out the very best in me, and I’m looking forward to coming home as the new champion!”
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Also Read: “Future Champ in the Making”: Teofimo Lopez Training His Son in Recent Clip Leaves Fans in Awe
For Lopez, this fight comes at a crucial juncture. The fighter is trying to pursue the big fights of the weight, and if he manages to successfully defend his title yet again, he’ll have amassed that feat.
Who do you see winning between Teofimo Lopez and Jamaine Ortiz? Take your picks in the comments section below.
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