LOPEZ STOPS LONTCHI AFTER NINE IN AC!!!

Juan Manuel Lopez scored a somewhat hard fought stoppage after nine rounds over Olivier Lontchi to retain the WBO Jr. Featherweight title at the Adrian Phillips Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Lopez dropped Lontchi in round two from a combination that was set up from a right hook in the corner.

Lontchi never wilted and in fact would come back with some nice right hands after he would eat some some hard shots from the champion.

The action picked up in round seven with some furious exchanges on the ropes. Lopez rocked Lontchi on the ropes from a hard right in round eight. In round nine, Lopez dropped Lontchi with a hard left to the top of the head. Lontchi made one last stand as he tried to land one shot to turn the tide. he was unsucsesful and Lontchi’s corner, knowing he was way behind stopped the bout after round nine.

Lopez, 121 1/2 lbs of Caguas, Puerto Rico is now 26-0 with twenty-four knockouts. Lontchi, 120 lbs of Montreal, fought a tough fight but he is now 18-1-2.

Jorge Arce scored a stunning one punch knockout over Fernando Lumacad in round three of a scheduled twelve round IBF Jr. Bantamweight eliminator.

Arce was cut around the left eye from a headbutt in round two and looked sluggish until he caught Lumacad with a perfect overhand right that sent the native of the Philipines down for the ten cound at the thirty-five second mark of round three.

Arce, 115 lbs of Los Mochis, Mexico will earn another title shot with a record of 52-5-1 with forty knockouts. Lumacad, 114 1/2 of General Santos City is now 18-2-2.

The fight between Yuri Foreman and Corneilius Bundrage ended in a no-contest after three rounds after a headbutt opened up a nasty cut around the right eye of Foreman

Jr. Middleweight Vanes Martirosyan scored a stoppage over Andrey Tsurkan after round six of a scheduled ten round affair.

Martirosyan dominated every round as he cut up Tsurkan over his left eye from repeaded right hands.

Martirosyan, 154 1/2 lbs of Glemndale, CA is now 25-0 with sixteen knockouts. Tsurkan, 154 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 26-5

Featherweight contender Mario Santiago fought for the first time in a year as he scored an eight round unanimous decision over Gilbert Sanchez-Leon.

Santiago was systymatic as he landed some hard straight left hands that repeadidly drove Sanchez-Leon back. Sanchez-Leon was deducted a point in round four for some roughouse tacticts.

Santiago, 128 1/2 lbs of Ponce, Puerto Rico won by scores of 79-71, 78-74 and 77-74 to raise his record to 20-1-1. this was the first fight since Santiago’s hotly disputed draw with WBO champ Steven Luevano. Sanchez-Leon, 127 lbs of Mexicalli, Mexico is now 21-7-2.

Hot Shot prospect Matt Korobov needed just eighty-two seconds to dispose of Benjamin Diaz in a sxheduled four round Middleweight bout.

Korobov dropped Diaz in the opening seconds with a straight left. Just a momenet later he dropped Diaz again from a left to the body. Diaz tried to get up but fell right back down and referee Brian O’Meilia stopped the fight.

Korobov, 162 1/2 lbs of Orotukan, Russia is now 7-0 with six knockouts. Diaz, 162 1/2 lbs of Maywood, CA is now 9-3-2.

Jeremy Bryan remained undefeated by scoring a six round Unanimous decision over Josh Beeman in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

Bryan, 140 1/2 lbs of Paterson, NJ was effective with body and head shots and won by scores of 60-53, 60-54 and 59-55 to go to 11-0. Beeman, 141 lbs of Providence, RI is now 4-3-2.

Michael Torres remained undefeated as he oitched a shutout in a six round unanimous decision over Humberto Tapia.

Scores were 60-54 on all cards for Torres, 140 1/2 lbs of Jersey City, NJ and is now 13-0. Tapia, 140 1/2 lbs of Tijuana, Mexico is now 13-11-1.

Hector Marrango and Angel Rodriguez fought to a draw in a six round Lightweight bout.

Rodriguez used his size and boxed well throughout, But Rodriguez continued to come forward The final thirty seconds was exciting as the two stood toe to toe

Scores were 58-56 for Rodriguez, 58-56 Marrango and 57-57.

Marrango, 133 1/2 lbs of Arecibo, PR is now 5-0-3. Rodriguez is now 3-3-2.

Photos by Claudia Bocanegra