7:24 PM ET
Randall dominates Rivera
Quinton Randall, left, scored a one-sided decision over Jan Carlos Rivera in their welterweight battle. Mikey Williams/Top RankQuinton Randall beat Jan Carlos Rivera by consentaneous choice in a matchup of unbeaten welterweights. After six rounds, Randall triumphed on all 3 scorecards, by ratings of 59-55, 58-56 and 58-56.
Rivera (4-1, 4 KOs), an aggressive southpaw, didnt hesitate to come forward to attack Randall (6-1, 2 KOs). While Rivera was able to pin Randall against the ropes several times, many of his punches failed, enabling Randall to box effectively and counterpunch throughout the bout.
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7:30 p.m. ET Sat., Oct 17, on ESPN and ESPN+: Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Teofimo Lopez Jr., 12 rounds, for Lomachenkos WBO and WBA lightweight titles, WBC “franchise” belt, and Lopezs IBF lightweight title
The fight is one of the best matches that might be made in boxing, but will not have fans in attendance due to the coronavirus pandemic constraints. Lomachenko says he wont be affected by it.
” I believe its simply a ring and judges and TV. Thats it. And, naturally, 4 belts,” Lomachenko stated during a news conference Wednesday. “For me, I believe it will be a chess match.”
Lopez echoed Lomachenkos sensations about the lack of fans– one of the couple of things they agree on.
He combated in arenas offered out. I combated in arenas sold out.
Lopez, 23, scored an excellent second-round TKO of Richard Commey last December to win his belt and set up the unification battle against Lomachenko.
” Hard work settles. Eighteen years in, and its simply the beginning,” Lopez said. “You havent seen anything yet.”
2 RelatedIn the co-main event, Arnold Barboza Jr. handles Alex Saucedo (30-1, 19 KOs) in a 10-round, junior welterweight fight. Barboza (24-0, 10 KOs) has won 3 of his past 5 battles by interruption. He scored a one-sided unanimous choice win against Tony Luis in August on top Rank bubble.
Saucedo (30-1, 19 KOs) has won two fights in a row since suffering the only loss of his career challenging Maurice Hooker for the WBO world title in 2018.
KO machine Edgar Berlanga (14-0, 14 KOs) fulfills Lanell Bellows (20-5-3, 13 KOs) in an eight-round very middleweight bout. Berlanga hasnt seen Round 2 yet as he has won all of his professional fights by first-round blockage. Bellows has actually never ever been stopped in his professional career.
Likewise on the card, Josue Vargas (17-1, 9 KOs) and Kendo Castaneda (17-2, 8 KOs) deal with off in a 10-round junior welterweight fight.
Steve Kim recaps the fights as they occur in Las Vegas.
Fight in development: Josue Vargas vs. Kendo Castaneda, 10 rounds, junior welterweights
Outcomes:
Vivas stops Moralde in Round 1
Jose Enrique Vivas required simply 76 seconds to stop John Vincent Moralde in what was set up to be an eight-round featherweight contest.
Vivas sent out Moralde (23-4, 13 KOs) to the canvas early with a brief left hook while the 2 fighters were exchanging on the inside. As Moralde got up, Vivas (20-1, 11 KOs) ramped up his attack by striking Moralde with a hard right-hand man over the top that stunned him, followed by a left hook to the body that had Moralde concealing on the ropes. At that point, referee Enrique Colon decided to wave the battle.
Steve KimESPN
Unified lightweight titlist Vasiliy Lomachenko faces fellow titleholder Teofimo Lopez Jr. in the main occasion of a Top Rank card Saturday night at the MGM Grand Convention Center in Las Vegas (ESPN and ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET).
Lomachenko (14-1, 10 KOs), the WBO and WBA titleholder and WBC “franchise” champ, puts his belts on the line against IBF titlist Lopez (15-0, 12 KOs), in a widely awaited match between the two finest fighters in the division.
Lomachenko won the WBC belt in a decision win over Luke Campbell in 2019, but two months after that he was removed of the belt by the WBC and rather called the organization “franchise” champ. The WBC at first said that the “franchise” belt wouldnt be something to battle for, but just recently reversed course.
Tucker stays unbeaten with unanimous choice win
Welterweight Jahi Tucker, right, defeated Charles Garner by unanimous choice. Mikey Williams/Top RankIn the opening bout of the night, welterweight Jahi Tucker notched his second professional triumph by pitching a four-round nothing of Charles Garner. All 3 judges saw the fight 40-36 for Tucker.
While the scorecards were clearly in favor of Tucker (2-0, 1 KOs), it wasnt a scintillating performance. Tucker was the more active fighter and he regularly outworked Garner throughout the battle, but Garner (1-1) had his minutes.
What this fight really revealed was that Tucker, 17, still has a ways to go in terms of his professional development.
Still to come:
The WBC initially stated that the “franchise” belt wouldnt be something to combat for, however recently reversed course.
Barboza (24-0, 10 KOs) has actually won three of his previous 5 fights by interruption. KO device Edgar Berlanga (14-0, 14 KOs) satisfies Lanell Bellows (20-5-3, 13 KOs) in an eight-round very middleweight bout. Berlanga hasnt seen Round 2 yet as he has actually won all of his pro battles by first-round stoppage. All 3 judges saw the battle 40-36 for Tucker.
Title fight: Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Teofimo Lopez, 12 rounds, for Lomachenkos WBO and WBA light-weight titles and Lopezs IBF lightweight title
Arnold Barboza Jr. vs. Alex Saucedo, 10 rounds, junior welterweights
Edgar Berlanga vs. Lanell Bellows, 8 rounds, super middleweights
