Skip to main content

Canelo predictably pummels hapless Lopez, Ponce De Leon upsets Gonzalez


Canelo Alvarez knocked down Josesito Lopez three times en route to a dominating fifth round technical knockout defense of his WBC Super Welterweight World Championship in front of a sold out crowd of 14,275 fans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las VegasNev. on Saturday. 

Canelo headlined the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Mexican Independence Day Weekend quadruple header and the undefeated Mexican star did not disappoint.  Dubbed “Knockout Kings,” the promotion lived up to its billing, producing three entertaining knockouts in which none of the scheduled 12-round bouts went past the eighth round. 

In what surely will be considered a Fight Of The Year candidate, former world champion Marcos Maidana (32-3, 28 KOs), of Santa FeArgentina, scored a knockout at 0:43 of the eighth round to defeat perennial contender Jesus Soto Karass (26-8-3, 17 KOs), of SinaloaMexico and captured the vacant WBA Intercontinental Welterweight Title. 

As promised leading into the blockbuster event, Golden Boy Promotions awarded a $100,000 bonus to the knockout of the night, decided via a text-to-vote competition that was promoted on SHOWTIME and inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena.  In a decision that thrilled his thousands of screaming fans inside the arena, Canelo was awarded the check for his thrilling performance. 

President of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya then made a surprise announcement and awarded each victorious fighter an additional $25,000 bonus for their impressive work. 

Canelo (41-0-1, 30 KOs), of Guadalajara, Mexico, scored knockdowns in the second, third and fourth rounds before referee Joe Cortez stopped the bout at 2:55 of the fifth round when a defenseless Lopez was visibly hurt against the ropes and could not fight back. 

“I’m not always looking for the knockout, but this was perfect tonight,” Canelo said.  “I had a big responsibility fighting for my fans around the world this weekend and I think I made them happy. I want the big fights now – (Miguel) Cotto and (Floyd) Mayweather.”

Lopez (30-5, 18 KOS), of RiversideCalif., was impressed by Canelo’s performance.

“I knew he was a tough fighter and he proved he's a better fighter,” Lopez said.  “He was smarter, stronger and patient. I felt good going in but there was a big size difference.  I was hoping to land a good punch to change the momentum.” 

In other bouts featured on SHOWTIME, Daniel Ponce De Leon (44-4, 35 KOs), CuahutemocMexico registered a technical decision over defending champion Jhonny Gonzalez (52-8-0, 45 KOs), of Mexico CityMexico to capture the WBC Featherweight World Championship.

In the opening bout of the SHOWTIME telecast, Leo Santa Cruz (21-0-1, 12 KOs), of Los AngelesCalif. defended his IBF Bantamweight World Championship against former two-time world champion Eric Morel (46-4-0, 23 KOs), of San JuanPuerto Rico, with a technical knockout victory in the fifth round when Morel’s corner stopped the bout. 

Saturday’s fights will replay on Sunday, Sept. 16 at 10 a.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME, on Tuesday, Sept. 18 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME and will be available On Demand from Sept. 16 – October 15. 

Popular posts from this blog

The Tragedy of Billy Collins Jr.

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor  Collins after the fight Williams Ray Collins Jr. or Billy Collins Jr. as he became known, was born to a boxing father in Antioch, Tennessee in 1961. His father William Sr, once fought Welterweight Champion Curtis Cokes and wanted his boy to follow in his footsteps, so decided to train Billy himself. Collins Jr. turned pro in 1981, a welterweight, just like his father before him and impressively won his first 14 professional contests, 11 by knockout with eight inside the first three rounds. It was 1983 and Billy was matched up against Puerto Rican journeyman Luis Resto on the undercard of Roberto Duran v Davey Moore at Madison Square Garden in a ten rounder. Resto wasn’t known for his punching power but Billy took a sustained beating for the full ten rounds, his face, badly damaged and his eyes were almost shut. After the fight, which Resto won on decision, Billy’s father shook Resto’s hand and noticed there wasn’t much padding in his gl...

Rico Ramos captures world super- bantamweight title with KO

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor ‘Suavecito’ scores 20th straight win over Shimoda Undefeated Californian Rico Ramos produced a world-class left hand in the seventh round of his WBA title challenge against Japan’s Akifumi Shimoda to rip the belt away from the older southpaw in his first defence. The 24 year-old looked far from a world champion in the first five rounds, only gaining a foothold in the fight in round six, but ultimately produced the equalizer in the seventh to take the crown. Shimoda, 26, will be furious with himself as he bossed the majority of the fight and was up five rounds to one on my card going into the seventh round. One lapse in concentration with only thirty seconds left in round seven and Shimoda hit the canvas. The champion tried to get up at the count of nine, but stumbled over and the referee counted him out. The now former champion stayed down for a full minute before being helped to his feet and realising he no longer held the WBA belt. Also on the card i...