Welterweight contender Teofimo Lopez will have a new “Heisman Night” enemy. Jose “Sniper” Pedraza has a non-COVID-related illness and Lopez will now face former European champion Sandor Martin on Saturday, December 10, at Madison Square Garden.
Lopez-Martin, scheduled to compete in 10 rounds, was the final knockout for the WBC world belt.
Brooklyn native Lopez (17-1, 13 KOs), the former lightweight king, made his junior welterweight debut in August with a seventh-round loss to Pedro Campa. He hopes to become the second-weight world champion in 2023, but the young WBO weight-class No. 1 contender must first beat the slippery Spanish male. Martin (40-2, 13 KOs), who hails from Barcelona, author of The Disappointment of 2021 as he stunned Mikey Garcia with majority decision and left the world champion fourth must retire. Martin, ranked in the top 15 by all four major punishment organizations, followed up Garcia’s win with a unanimous decision in 10 innings against Jose Felix in April.
“We wish Jose Pedraza a speedy recovery, but we look forward to facing Sandor Martin. He’s the opponent we wanted initially for Heisman Night at Madison Square Garden,” said Lopez. “I will continue to quell doubts when I take over the 140-pound division. I look forward to giving my hometown fans a special night of boxing.”
Martin said, “I dreamed of fighting in a main event at Madison Square Garden. This is my time. I have taken the risk and I will take control of Teofimo Lopez on December 10. I will give the fans what they want to see.”
Lopez-Martin topped the chart four times on television that aired shortly after the Heisman Cup Awards at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+. Heavyweight sensation Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson aims for a 13th straight knockout against Jerry “Slugger” Forrest tested in battle, Puerto Rican junior middleweight star Xander Zayas Step up to the ranks with 28th boxer veteran Alexis Salazar, and Olympic silver medalist 2020 Olympic medalist Keyshawn Davis wants to kick-start his world championship ambitions in a lightweight bout with Juan Carlos Burgos.
Promoted by Top Rated, in conjunction with OPI Since 82, tickets starting at $51 are now on sale at Ticketmaster.com.
![Richardson Hitchins: “If Floyd [Mayweather] Give me gas, I think he will have another star”](https://news7g.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Richardson-Hitchins--390x220.jpg)
