Teofimo Returns & Chito Vera Delivers A Knockout For The Fans

The former three-belt lightweight champion made his 2022 debut and made an immediate impact. Teofimo Lopez def. Campa via TKO at 2:14 of the seventh round.

Teofimo Lopez’s surprising loss to George Kambosos two days after Thanksgiving effectively ended any possibility of the popular New Yorker competing in super fights against the likes of Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, and Gervonta Davis. The former three-belt lightweight champion, now fighting at junior welterweight, began his path to becoming a two-division world champion on Saturday against Pedro Campa.

Campa was created to be a comeback opponent. He’s a fighter who stands in the pocket and punches hard, precisely the type of foe in this fight. It took a little longer than most people anticipated. After all, was said and done, Lopez dropped Campa early in the seventh and then overpowered him with a fury moments later to win by TKO at the 2:14 mark of the stanza. During the break, DAZN had Lopez up 59-55.

“Being at 135 was killing my body,” Lopez said in his post-fight interview. “I just turned 25, and we want Josh Taylor. We want all these guys. We want (Regis) Prograis. We want (Jose) Zepeda. We want all the belts. That’s really who we want. We want to become a two-time world champion.”

In the beginning, Lopez was meticulous. He kept pumping the jab at various body regions, interspersed with an overhand right. When Campa threw, Teofimo Lopez’s muffled his shots. Lopez began dancing as soon as he realized this, swiveling his hips to show Campa that he couldn’t damage him.

Lopez returned to work in the sixth round after taking off in the fifth and making Campa’s left eye target practice with the jab and left hook. By the seventh round, Campa was ripe for the picking, and Lopez took advantage. To begin the contest, both men came out swinging, but Lopez won the exchange, dropping Campa with a right cross and a left hand. Campa regained his feet, but that was the beginning of the end. Lopez unloaded a flurry of punches on Campa, but referee Tony Weeks stepped in and waived it off.

Now that he has that battle under his belt, what comes next for Lopez? Oscar De La Hoya, Ryan Garcia’s promoter, was in attendance after being invited by Lopez. DAZN’s Chris Mannix reports that De La Hoya and Top Rank, who promotes Lopez, will meet after the fight to determine whether the match is still possible.

Both men came out swinging to start the fight, but Lopez won the exchange, dropping Campa with a right cross and a left hand. Campa got back on his feet, but it was the beginning of the end. Lopez landed a series of punches on Campa, but referee Tony Weeks intervened and called the fight off.

What is next for Lopez now that he has won that battle? Ryan Garcia’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, was in attendance after being invited by Lopez. DAZN’s Chris Mannix claims that De La Hoya and Top Rank, who promotes Lopez, will meet after the fight to see whether the match is still possible.

Meanwhile, The UFC San Diego main card featured a club and sub, a 65-second TKO, a third-round TKO, a crazy stand-up war, a Fight of the Year candidate, and an excellent head-kick knockout!

Marlon “Chito” Vera, the UFC’s #5 ranked 135-pounder, savagely knocked out former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz with a fourth-round head kick in the main event. The loudness was all on Cruz’s side, but Vera injured Dom several times before landing a deadly kisser kick. Cruz nearly dropped face down, and a few more follow-up punches landed before the referee stopped the bout. This is Chito’s fourth win in a row, and he appears to be getting closer to the belt.

The action began with Cruz attacking Vera with a head kick to flurry. He then began to target Chito’s lead leg before scoring a brief takedown. Cruz stepped in with a low kick, but Vera caught him with a left hook. Cruz swiftly rose to his feet and resumed his blitzing volume. He then scored a takedown with less than a minute remaining in the round, but Chito countered with a triangle that forced Cruz to stand. Cruz returned to his slump in the second round. Again, he was targeting Vera’s legs and giving him a variety of looks. Vera landed some good punches and kicks of his own, but nowhere like as frequently as Cruz. Chito came forward more this round, but Cruz remained as elusive as ever. 

Cruz began the third round with a stinging leg kick, followed by another barrage of punches. A huge right hand from Chito wobbled Cruz not long after that. Vera was unable to capitalize on the opportunity because Cruz recovered so fast. Dom tried to shoot for a takedown, but Chito hit a gorgeous sprawl to avoid it.

Cruz attempted another takedown to begin the fourth round but could not bring the fight to the ground. Then, a stiff jab from Vera knocked Cruz out, but he quickly recovered. Shortly later, a vicious head kick flew in and hit Cruz. 

Cruz was knocked down, and Chito finished the bout with ground and pound. BOOM goes the dynamite.

There you go, fighters, the result of two exciting fights this week!! Comment below and let us know what you think!!! And be sure to purchase your fighting needs at Hawkeye Fightwear!