Date, time, how to watch, background

Junior welterweight titleholder Teofimo Lopez is scheduled to defend his belt against Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday in Las Vegas.

TEOFIMO LOPEZ (19-1, 13 KOs)
VS. JAMAINE ORTIZ (17-1-1, 8 KOS)

• Date: Thursday, Feb. 8
• Time: 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
• Where: Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas
• TV/Stream: ESPN, ESPN+
• Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
• At stake: Lopez’s WBO title
• Weights: Lopez and Ortiz, 139.6
• Pound-for-pound: Lopez, Honorable Mention
• Odds: Lopez 5-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
• Significance (up to five stars): ****
• Also on the card: Keyshawn Davis vs. Jose Pedraza, lightweights
• Background: Lopez reclaimed his place among the best in the business on June 10, when he defeated previously unbeaten Josh Taylor by a convincing decision to regain a share of the140-pound championship. The 26-year-old native of Brooklyn had lost his 135-pound belts in a stunning upset against George Kambosos Jr. in 2021, although it was later determined that Lopez fought with a dangerous health condition. He rebounded to stop Pedro Campa, narrowly outpoint Sandor Martin and take down Taylor. The last victory lifted him back onto the Boxing Junkie pound-for-pound list. Ortiz will be fighting for a major title for the first time. The resident of Worcester, Massachusetts made a splash when he outpointed former 130-pound titleholder Jamel Herring in May 2022 but came up short in his next fight five months later, a unanimous decision against Vasiliy Lomachenko. The Ukrainian star deserved the nod but Ortiz gave a solid performance, bolstering his reputation. He easily outpointed Antonio Moran in September, his most recent fight. He’s ranked No. 10 by the WBO.