Earlier tonight at the Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot, WBO featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez successfully defended his title with a thrilling second round stoppage over brave challenger Bernabe Concepcion. Despite the bout’s short duration, the action was pulsating and the fight will go down as one of the year?s more memorable affairs.
In the first round Lopez sized up his younger foe from his southpaw stance and staggered him within the first minute of the stanza. Concepcion appeared to be shaken and Lopez began dissecting him with efficient counter shots as he was against the ropes. Concepcion was clipped with a short punch and fell to the canvas soon thereafter. Concepcion rose and Lopez smelled blood but the fight was soon set to change again.
With just seconds remaining in the first Concepcion turned the tide of the fight with a booming left hand that dropped Lopez to the deck. Lopez was visibly discouraged and seemingly shook up but the bell sounded to the end the round before Concepcion could capitalize further.
In the second round Concepcion came out aggressively and this proved to be his downfall. Early in the round Lopez caught the Filipino fighter with a straight left hand that registered his second knockdown. Concepcion was again in trouble and Lopez again was on the attack. With less than a minute remaining Lopez would score another knockdown from a series of punches and Concepcion was in no shape to continue despite beating the count. Referee Luis Pabon called a halt to the action two minutes and thirty-seven seconds in.
With the win Lopez moves to 29-0 with 26 knockouts and is next in line to face off with dangerous punching Rafael Marquez at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 18th. That contest figures to be another wild affair and Lopez is slowly building himself up as one of the more promising champions in the sport.
The loss is a hard one for Concepcion to swallow but he fought with courage and at only 22 years of age he still has time on his side to continue developing as a fighter. He will be heard from again.
For images of Juan Manuel Lopez? wild second round TKO over Bernabe Concepcion please click on the slideshow below?
