Teofimo Lopez v Jamaine Ortiz preview: Lopez to score emphatic victory

The early hours of Friday morning bring with them what is sure to be a thriller in the super lightweight division as Teofimo Lopez puts his WBO world super lightweight title on the line against Jamaine Ortiz.

We preview both fighters below.

No stopping the real Lopez

Teofimo Lopez’s career has been a story of some real ups and downs which means that he can hardly be labelled as consistent, but he is incredibly talented.

His talent has seen him reach the pinnacle of boxing, defeating Vasiliy Lomachenko to retain the IBF lightweight title, whilst winning the WBA, WBO, and The Ring lightweight titles. After that the sky was the limit for Lopez, but he came crashing down next time out in defeat to George Kambosos Jr via Split Decision.

That loss was the first of Lopez’s 10-fight career and remains the only mark on his record. His favoured method of victory is a knockout blow, via which he has won 13 contests, the other six wins coming via decision.

However, three of his last four victories have come via decision and his elite skill could bring a similar outcome here, with a Lopez win by Decision or Technical Decision a short-priced 4/5.

Teofimo Lopez boasts exceptional speed, power, and ring IQ. With a dazzling combination of footwork and counterpunching ability, Lopez has proved himself as one of the most formidable talents in the division. His knockout victories over top contenders showcase his ability to end fights in spectacular fashion and that method of victory should not be discounted with odds of 15/8 for Lopez to win by KO TKO or DQ.

At 1/7, Lopez is the overwhelming favourite to retain his belts and that is no surprise given his talents, but his temperament and obvious inconsistencies mean an upset cannot be discounted. Should the real Teofimo Lopez turn up, however, he should be able to get the job done in business-like fashion.

Ortiz must wait for his chance

Jamaine Ortiz, despite being the obvious underdog here at 9/2, is a well-respected competitor in the division who has shown the ability to mix with some of the sport’s leading punchers.

He is an emerging prospect who, up until he lost to the aforementioned Vasiliy Lomachenko, was undefeated in his professional career. His loss to Lomachenko by unanimous decision was by no means an embarrassment and he proved in that fight that he belongs in the upper echelons of the sport.

He is by no means a massive puncher, winning more fights by decision that he has by stoppage in his career, but that doesn’t mean he can’t pose a threat to Lopez.

Like his opponent, Ortiz is yet to lose a fight by knockout and will be expected to be in the ring until the final bell should he fail to stop Lopez, with the fight to go the distance at 8/13 much likelier than an early stoppage.

Ortiz’s potential method of victory lies in his relentless pressure and calculated aggression. He will likely look to exploit Lopez’s occasional defensive lapses and capitalise on opportunities to land significant shots. With a relentless pace and sharp boxing acumen, Ortiz will aim to wear down Lopez and secure a statement victory by Decision or Technical Decision at 7/1.