By: Sean Crose
Former WBA, IBF and WBO lightweight player Teofimo Lopez returned to the ring Saturday night – this time as a junior weight class – to take on little-known Pedro Campa in a 10th round bout Scheduled. The match is the main event of the Top Rated card broadcast live by ESPN.
16-1 Lopez got off to a positive start, but not as recklessly as in his last bout, causing George Kambosos to lose the lightweight title. On the other hand, Campa 34-1-1 wasn’t afraid to take the action on its own as the first half rolled on. The second half saw 25-year-old Lopez control the tempo while starting an efficient landing with 30-year-old Campa. Lopez rocked his man in the third round, when the former player started to heat up. Campa bravely stepped forward, showing that he can – at least for now – withstand Lopez’s power.
With that said, Lopez continued to land and land well into the fourth inning. He also appears relaxed, conserving his energy when given the opportunity. A blistering Lopez combo ended the round. Campa was quite active in the 5th round, but Lopez still proved to be the one to control the teamfight. Campa seems to have had his moments in season six. A sharp combination brought Campa down early in the seventh inning.
Campa bravely stood up and fought back recklessly, but ESPN’s Tim Bradley expressed concern for the boxer’s condition. By the last minute of the round, Lopez had meaninglessly beaten his man. Fortunately, the referee intervened and stopped the brawl.
