By: Sean Crose
Teofimo Lopez defended his WBO junior welterweight title against the 38-7-2 Steve Claggett Saturday night in Miami. Although he was expected to win, the 20-1 Lopez had a lot riding on his performance against Claggett, for numerous high profile fights loomed just over the horizon. Claggett had an impressive first while Lopez appeared to be surveying the terrain. Lopez remained cautious in the initial half of the second, but started to turn up the volume in the later half of the chapter. By the third, Lopez was fighting more comfortably, and was able to land clean.
The defending champion truly started to tag his man in the fourth. To his credit, however, Claggett kept pushing forward. Now completely in control, Lopez was able to pick his shots in the fifth. The bottom line was that the American was simply too strong for the game Canadian challenger. With that being said, the veteran Claggett was aggressive and skilled enough to erase any doubt that he was a qualified challenger for Lopez’ title.
By the midway point of the fight, matters had settled into a distinct pattern: Claggett would come forward behind a jab while Lopez employed a relaxed, at times even Mayweatheresque, defensive position, parrying and landing hard at will. The seventh had Lopez zipping stinging jabs at the still aggressive Claggett. Lopez hurt Claggett in the eighth – enough that it was worth wondering what the challenger had left. With that in mind, however, Claggett continued to keep pressing onward.
By the ninth, it was clear Lopez was having an easy night for himself, as Claggett’s sheer toughness might have been the only reason the 140 pound champion wasn’t trying to finish his man off. Indeed, Lopez took to throwing his shots in a fast and furious manner at the end of the tenth. The eleventh continued to show the considerable difference in skill and power between the two combatants. By the twelfth and final round, Claggett appeared to be running out of steam. No matter. Lopez had put on a clinic the entire fight, one which was recognized by the judges via a unanimous decision win.
*Images: Top Rank