Showtime Saturday Special, with
undefeated power punching Juanma Lopez defending his WBO
Featherweight bauble against past Bantam-S/Bantam champion
Rafael Marquez, more than lived up to expectations.
Took no more than opening round with
both having it in feeling out mode, for things to heat up
come stanza two - the bigger, younger, natural in size
featherweight Lopez grabs the round looking in control.
Marquez captures tres with series of
counter left hooks, and from that point the joint is
jumping down to the surprising finish following stanza
eight.
Lopez penalized a point during number
four for rabbit punch by referee Tony Weeks draws the ire
of the fiery southpaw - Marquez would then pay for the
third man in charge rush for attention.
Lopez turned up the heat to blistering
levels as he gobbles up round after round over numbers
five through eight that saw a game Marquez badly outgunned
- the battering had this viewer once again admiring the
size of the heart of the Mexican warrior.
The end came between eight and nine
with Marquez unable to continue - claimed injured right
shoulder. Still, fact is Lopez was too big, strong and the
heavier hitter.
Suggestion here is Juanma come the next
outing be accompanied with that old graduation school tune
“We’ve only just begun” - but, there’s still challenges
ahead for the Puerto Rican bomber at 126.
Interesting futures carry surnames WBA
((Chris) John, (Yuriorkis) Gamboa, WBC (Elio) Rojas,
Jhonny Gonzalez.
Post Scripts: Juan M. Lopez (30-0, 27
KOs) ~ age 27 - ready to challenge the co-champs, and
legit top ten challengers. Guaranteed entertainment worth
the price of admission.
Rafael Marquez (39-6, 35 KOs) ~ age
35 - the step up from S/bantam likely due to growing
pains. His career speaks for itself. But at age 35 at
weight class loaded with vipers maybe time to call it a
career.
………………………………................................................................
Super Middleweight Stage 3 prelim saw new arrival to the
tourney, age 41 Glen Johnson stopping pinch-hitting rival
Allan Green of age 31 vintage.
Johnson surprises the viewer with a
jump start from the gate like a young stallion bringing it
to the left-hooking Green - takes the younger Green into
number five before claiming a round.
Action goes back and forth with both
having moments - Green grabs stanza seven - and then
it’s stanza eight and a Johnson right hand finds the mark
and as Green slowly drops to canvas a follow-up coup de
grace power right to the jaw closes the show.
Green somehow gets to his feet but
referee Robert Byrd calls it no-mas with Green protesting
to no avail.
Closing comments: Glen Johnson
(51-14-2, 34 KO) ~ age 41 - deserves semi-final slot in
S/6 tourney. The “Road Warrior” alias a perfect fit -
doubtful the Jamaican transplant from Miami can top the
field at this point, but is nice closure to a dedicated
career.
Allan Green (29-3, 20 KO) ~
age 31- entered 0-1 in the S/six tourney with loss to
Andre Ward while showing little of his past skills. Needed
this one to get into the hunt but failed to take the
action to his ten years senior opponent.
