American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas– The idea that Mikey Garcia (32-0, 27 KOs) was expected by some to walk through the heavy-handed Juan Manuel Lopez (33-3, 30 KOs) seemed far fetched as fight night approached, especially considering Garcia’s inability to make the 126 lb. limit the day before.
But, on paper, a one-sided blow-out seemed like the only logical outcome. Garcia is so good, so fresh, and so at the top of his game while Lopez has been through the wringer and looked like a beaten man, even at the first press conference announcing the fight.
As is usually the case, though, logic prevailed in the boxing ring and Garcia took a virtual stroll in the park On HBO’s Boxing After Dark en route to a fourth round TKO of the Puerto Rican two-division former world champ.
With the WBO featherweight belt only on the line for Lopez, the Boricua bomber came out cautious, looking to pick and prod his way inside to test Garcia’s chin. After an uneventful first round, won by Garcia with some quick, sharp jabs, Mikey lowered the boom in the second with a viciously perfect jab-straight right combination that sent Lopez to the canvas.
JuanMa would beat the count, but may as well have been in the dressing room at that point. Garcia, confident and razor sharp, proceeded to pick Lopez apart with precision punches that had both of his eyes puffy and red.
The end would come in the fourth round when a right hand from Garcia wobbled Lopez in the middle of the ring and a follow-up left hook sent him hard to the canvas. Lopez would beat the count, but was glassy-eyed and on weak legs. The bout was officially waved off at the 1:35 mark.
In the televised opener, lightweight Terrence Crawford (21-0, 16 KOs) boxed with Mexico City’s Alejandro Sanabria (34-2-1, 25 KOs) for five full rounds before closing the show in style with a lead left hook in the opening seconds of the sixth round to take a TKO victory.
Sanabria, despite falling head first to the canvas after the shot, was able to beat the count. However, he was in no condition to continue and the contest was quickly waved off.
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