Brandon Rios vs. Mike Alvarado III RBR

Round 8

Shakhnazaryan is skipping away from Lopez, getting hit with upswept body shots. Shakhnazaryan ducks and braces against Lopez, leading with his shoulder. Lopez is dropping long rights on the cheek of Shakhnazaryan as he ducks and prepares to press in. Wild looping right by Shakhnazaryan running away. Shakhnazaryan is skating the ropes, 4-corner defense as Lopez sticks long jabs on the body and head. Shakhnazaryan walks Lopez onto a looping right but is hit with a combination backing out of the pocket. 1-2 by Lopez. Hook by Shakhnazaryan. Trading at the bell, Lopez physically shoving the smaller man back as they both land.

10-9 Lopez

87-83

 

Official cards:

Short 78-73
Kugler 78-73
Wildman 76-74

UD for Abner Lopez

 

Not that big a shock - Lopez has beaten or held his own against decent fighters before (the SD over Gutierrez stands out) and he is a heavy-handed tall drink of water at 140lbs - but this definitely wasn't "supposed" to happen. Top Rank gambled on Shakhnazaryan, matching him tough so fast, and it backfired on them. Lopez is promoted by Zanfer, a nominal Top Rank ally, but really they're more like TR's "farm league" in Mexico, expected to supply feeding stock for TR prospects on these cross-promotion cards.

Of course, it may not have even seemed like much of a gamble, considering Shakhnazaryan had already beaten the likes of Nabiev and Rahimov.

Theater of the unexpected. :conf

 

Aw, look at the big goofy smile on that dumdum's face.

He must have really loved this morning's episode of VeggieTales.

 

Gilberto Ramírez Sánchez vs. Maxim Vlasov, 10 rounds @ light heavyweight