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American Teofimo Lopez defended his WBO world light-welterweight title with a controversial unanimous points win over compatriot Jamaine Ortiz in Las Vegas. <\/b><\/p>\n
Lopez, 26, was seemingly outboxed over 12 rounds as two judges scored it 115-113 with one highly contentious scorecard of 117-111. <\/p>\n
The decision was booed by fans inside the Michelob Ultra Arena. <\/p>\n
“You all could boo all you want,” Lopez said before directing a homophobic slur towards the crowd. <\/p>\n
He called out American unified welterweight champion Terence Crawford for a catchweight bout. <\/p>\n
“I’m here, I’m ready. I’m hungry, I’m younger, I’m prettier,” he said. <\/p>\n
The agile and more elusive Ortiz – fighting in a southpaw stance – made use of his reach advantage and quick feet to frustrate Lopez. <\/p>\n
Ortiz, 27, circled around the ring on the back foot as Lopez struggled to find any real rhythm. <\/p>\n
“I stuck to the game plan, I listened to my corner, my team. I thought I was winning,” Ortiz said. <\/p>\n
“I think I won the fight. What can I say? He couldn’t hit me, I was making him miss all night. 117-111 is just ridiculous.”<\/p>\n
But two-weight world champion Lopez blamed his opponent for fighting too defensively. <\/p>\n
“We cannot, for one second, claim these people, these fighters, that don’t wanna come and fight,” Lopez said.<\/p>\n
The below-par performance continues the trend of Lopez’s unpredictable career. <\/p>\n
He recorded a career best victory by dethroned unified lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko<\/a> in 2020 before a surprise defeat by George Kambosos Jr<\/a> the following year.<\/p>\n In June 2023, Lopez won the light-welterweight title by inflicting a first career defeat on Scotsman Josh Taylor<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n