Bad Left Hook - Garcia vs Lopez: Live stream, fight time, preview, results, round-by-roundGlobal Boxing News and Commentaryhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47131/backingthepack-fave.png2013-06-19T14:42:07-04:00http://www.badlefthook.com/rss/stream/41802072013-06-19T14:42:07-04:002013-06-19T14:42:07-04:00Batman delivers big HBO BAD rating
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GeFLqMaVfTtEp5YMlvO0eXn6jxM=/73x0:3926x2569/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/15055453/170640065.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Tom Pennington</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Mikey Garcia and Juan Manuel Lopez did the year's best number for HBO Boxing After Dark, bringing in 1.3 million viewers this past Saturday night.</p> <p>Mikey Garcia's fourth round TKO win over Juan Manuel Lopez this past Saturday night from Dallas did the year's best Nielsen rating for HBO Boxing After Dark, bringing in 1.3 million viewers for a card that started late at 10:45 pm EDT, and featured a Terence Crawford-Alejandro Sanabria co-feature.</p>
<p>While one might argue that this proves that Garcia is a star, or that Mexico vs Puerto Rico always draws, or that maybe Crawford is a breakout phenom, or that this is total, absolute proof that HBO is a far, far better platform to build a star than rival Showtime, or that Top Rank is flying high and the haters can all just suck right on it, I mean just suck it so hard, right where it should be sucked, let's not forget to mention one extremely important thing.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2810843/2478185400_f9e2d11a29.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="2478185400_f9e2d11a29_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2810843/2478185400_f9e2d11a29_medium.jpg"></a> <br id="1371667286414"></p>
<p>The lead-in for this fight was the TV premiere of <i>The Dark Knight Rises</i>. That mattered. If a Beyonce documentary has been given credit for boosting HBO boxing viewership, then I think <i>The Dark Knight Rises</i> should be considered a factor, too.</p>
<p>HBO Boxing After <i>The Dark Knight Rises</i>. Ha! Hilarious. Just some humor, you guys.</p>
https://www.badlefthook.com/2013/6/19/4445744/garcia-vs-lopez-does-season-high-rating-for-boxing-after-darkScott Christ2013-06-17T19:30:30-04:002013-06-17T19:30:30-04:00Arum: Garcia should move to 130
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ACqtsffxt0WJjUk3KhroEqe1_OA=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/14951289/170642236.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Tom Pennington</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Promoter Bob Arum says he'll discourage Mikey Garcia from trying to fight at featherweight again, as he hopes to match him with super featherweight titlist Rocky Martinez.</p> <p>Mikey Garcia is rumored to be headed toward a September 21 fight against WBO super featherweight titlist Rocky Martinez in Puerto Rico, and promoter <a href="http://www.boxingscene.com/arum-garcia-forget-126-go-martinez--66726" target="_blank">Bob Arum thinks that's the exact right move</a>, saying he'd discourage Garcia (32-0, 27 KO) from fighting again at featherweight -- or trying to, anyway.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"Garcia has a bright future. He has to fight at 130-pounds," said Arum. "He can not continue to sacrifice his body to make 126. Hopefully he faces 'Rocky' Martinez."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Garcia missed weight for this past weekend's fight with Juan Manuel Lopez, which he won in four rounds. He said after the fight he might stay at 126 and try to control his diet a little better this time around, but I personally see Arum being right here. There's no reason to fight hard to make 126 pounds. Garcia's getting older and growing, and those last two pounds just weren't coming off to face Lopez. Even if Garcia did maintain a better diet, who's to say his body is going to respond the way that it used to?</p>
<p>A fight with Martinez not only gives Garcia another crack at a world title, but it would put him right back into an HBO main event with a good payday. It seems like the right move.</p>
https://www.badlefthook.com/2013/6/17/4439880/bob-arum-mikey-garcia-should-leave-126-behind-move-up-to-130Scott Christ2013-06-17T01:34:16-04:002013-06-17T01:34:16-04:00Garcia-Martinez possible for Sept. 21
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/gISbV8V1LL7azYTJNtU8bemPa0g=/0x14:4000x2681/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/14902271/170642237.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Tom Pennington</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Mikey Garcia's next fight could be for another world title, as he is being pushed toward a September bout with super featherweight titlist Rocky Martinez.</p> <p>Former featherweight titlist Mikey Garcia may move up to 130 pounds officially for his next fight, and could move right into a world title fight, though he also may have to travel for the bout. Garcia is "being steered toward" a fight with WBO super featherweight titleholder Rocky Martinez in Puerto Rico on September 21, <a href="http://www.boxingscene.com/mikey-garcia-rocky-martinez-works-sept-21--66703" target="_blank">according to a report at BoxingScene.com by Jake Donovan</a>.</p>
<p>Garcia (32-0, 27 KO) missed weight and lost his 126-pound belt on the scales on Friday, but no ill effects showed on Saturday night, when me mowed down Juan Manuel Lopez in four rounds. Martinez (27-1-2, 16 KO) won the vacant WBO 130-pound belt last September, beating Miguel Beltran Jr in a terrific fight on the Chavez-Martinez undercard. Since then, he's defended twice in another pair of entertaining bouts, drawing with Juan Carlos Burgos and beating Diego Magdaleno.</p>
<p>Garcia-Martinez would probably be a career-best payday for Martinez, and he'd have home field advantage, at least if these early talks turn out to be the real deal. Garcia would have a chance to win a title in a second weight class, which is the sort of thing that's becoming cheaper and cheaper, to the point we might soon stop even mentioning how many weight classes guys have won titles in, since Garcia would have had a whopping zero defenses of his first-ever world title and all that, but that's just a whole other story, and my point is, it's an opportunity for Mikey to pick up another world title, which makes him a guy to chase and a headline fighter at 130.</p>
<p>Garcia says he may stay at 126 pounds, but if the Robert Garcia camp has learned anything from Brandon Rios' struggles to make 135 in his last two fights at that weight in 2011-12, then hopefully it's that trying to force a weight class is a lousy idea. Garcia's 25 and possibly just getting too big for featherweight. A move to 130 is inevitable, anyway, and his body seems to be telling him it's time.</p>
https://www.badlefthook.com/2013/6/17/4437186/mikey-garcia-could-face-rocky-martinez-on-september-21-in-puerto-ricoScott Christ2013-06-16T21:29:30-04:002013-06-16T21:29:30-04:00Lopez: Garcia was too good
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/iwqhh_Tb391sbdFxvrZJP36xpJc=/0x110:4000x2777/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/14896469/170640157.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Tom Pennington</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Juan Manuel Lopez says that Mikey Garcia was simply too good for him last night in Dallas, where the Mexican-American stayed unbeaten with a TKO-4 win.</p> <p>Juan Manuel Lopez was <a href="http://www.badlefthook.com/2013/6/15/4434648/garcia-vs-lopez-results-mikey-garcia-dominates-wins-in-four" target="_blank">outclassed last night in Dallas against Mikey Garcia</a>, and the Puerto Rican brawler is making no excuses or outlandish claims about gambling referees or the like. <a href="http://www.boxingscene.com/juanma-there-no-excuses-mikey-garcia-better--66684" target="_blank">Lopez admits that Garcia was simply too good</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"I saw that he was fresh and hungry, so I did not go after the knockout. I decided to wait for a few more rounds to pass. There are no excuses. He was better tonight. I did not expect him to use the left so well. We prepared for his right, but his left hook got me good. There is no excuse regarding the weight or anything. I felt good and I felt strong. The first time I was hit and went down - I was not hurt. The second time I opened my eyes and I was on the floor."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It's rare to see a fighter offer absolutely no argument about a stoppage, but Lopez (33-3, 30 KO) appears to be totally fine with referee Rafael Ramos' decision to end the bout in the fourth round, acknowledging that he was hurt, that he didn't see the punches that landed and resulted in the second knockdown of the bout, and not saying that he was fine or whatever.</p>
<p>Lopez may not really be able to recover from this -- he should still go on and win fights and all that, but he looks as shot as a fighter can get at 29, in terms of being able to compete with other top guys. He can still beat the mediocre opponents he's been beating, and he'll be able to make a little money along the way, and he'll probably get another title shot or three, but it's hard to see him ever being a serious contender again. Garcia owned him, and Lopez looked hopeless.</p>
https://www.badlefthook.com/2013/6/16/4436760/juan-manuel-lopez-makes-no-excuses-says-mikey-garcia-was-too-goodScott Christ2013-06-15T23:58:52-04:002013-06-15T23:58:52-04:00Results: Garcia dominates Lopez
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NRDD3yfiZUc-NlBkImfTQ1XE2dg=/19x0:917x599/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/14859345/l_96e12521658ee303e3cdb3f10257c8c8garcia_lopez_finalpc_130613_003a.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Chris Farina/Top Rank</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Mikey Garcia had no troubles tonight against an outclassed Juan Manuel Lopez tonight, possibly ending the Puerto Rican's run as a main event fighter.</p> <p>Mikey Garcia won't leave with his belt, but his undefeated record is intact and he dominated Juan Manuel Lopez in Dallas, stopping his foe in the fourth round on the second knockdown of the fight.</p>
<p>Lopez (33-3, 30 KO) was decent in the first round, landing from straight lefts from his southpaw stance, but Garcia (32-0, 27 KO) took over after the first round, and even mostly dictated that opening frame with a crisp jab. Lopez, who looks very old at age 29, was exposed from round two on, when he was first floored hard. Lopez just never really got it together in there, and as the fight wore on, he looked more and more -- oh, what's the word? He looked sloppy, slow, powerless, like he had no legs, and just mentally and physically worn out.</p>
<p>Lopez is a very exciting fighter, but he's finished at this level. He's just too reckless, at times looking like a guy trying to remember what he's doing, and nowhere near a world class fighter. Garcia made Lopez resemble a Friday Night Fights opponent who's been around a handful of fights too long.</p>
<p>Garcia, 25, will likely be moving up to 130 pounds with his next fight, which sounded to be in the works before this fight anyway. At 130, he could take on Rocky Martinez in another Mexico-Puerto Rico battle, looking to land a second world title.</p>
<p>What did you think of Garcia's performance? And do you think Lopez is shot young?</p>
https://www.badlefthook.com/2013/6/15/4434648/garcia-vs-lopez-results-mikey-garcia-dominates-wins-in-fourScott Christ2013-06-15T23:29:51-04:002013-06-15T23:29:51-04:00Results: Crawford stops Sanabria
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-VNaLob3C1eq050O7Ki9GfcRCw4=/0x0:848x565/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/14858159/l_992cd22783d55428ec6d020098637591garcia_lopez_finalpc_130613_009a.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Chris Farina/Top Rank</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Terence Crawford improved to 2-0 on HBO airwaves, stopping Alejandro Sanabria in the sixth round tonight in Dallas.</p> <p>Though Terence Crawford couldn't quite live up to Max Kellerman's salivating hype -- nor could anyone, really -- he looked good tonight in a sixth round TKO win over Alejandro Sanabria, scoring the stoppage on a lead left hook that came very suddenly. Referee Laurence Cole made the right call to end the fight when Sanabria returned to his feet and was clearly unsteady.</p>
<p>Crawford (21-0, 16 KO) may have trouble meeting the expectations that HBO seems to have for him -- not because of his talent, which seems legit, and not because his fights are too boring, because plenty of fairly dull fighters become stars (what's your favorite Canelo Alvarez fight?), but because he's so laid back and so relaxed both in the ring and behind the microphone that it's worth wondering if he has "star quality." There are lots of fighters we've seen that are this good -- or at least what we've seen from him so far -- that don't become stars. Is he good enough to overcome his (lack of) personality and become a bona fide star anyway? That remains to be seen, and there's a long way to go before we start calling him the "best lightweight in the world," which Kellerman declared that "many" believe. I don't know anyone besides, apparently, Max, but maybe I'm wrong. It's possible. It's likely, even. I'll give you those odds.</p>
<p>Sanabria (34-2-1, 25 KO) didn't look bad or anything, but Crawford was clearly the superior fighter. Sanabria wasn't being a bull, and Crawford got out of matador mode and took over leading action with good rallies and power punches, landing sharp right hands and left hooks, and mixing in some body work.</p>
<p>I'm not sold on Crawford being the second coming at 135 just yet, but he's got an arsenal, he's got smarts, and he's so relaxed that the constant pointing out of how relaxed he seems is actually understandable.</p>
<p>What did you think of Crawford tonight, and what do you see going forward? Is this a potential star?</p>
https://www.badlefthook.com/2013/6/15/4434556/garcia-vs-lopez-results-terence-crawford-stays-unbeaten-stopsScott Christ2013-06-15T22:25:12-04:002013-06-15T22:25:12-04:00Results: Vanes, Zewski, Korobov, Valdez win
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DGwZOKwnAVRKhuDS5q0ZeaeQCHo=/0x0:907x605/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/14852573/l_c307174d855fd02c2a36461182efa3c2martiroysan_ay1j0010.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Chris Farina/Top Rank</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Vanes Martirosyan, Matt Korobov, Mikael Zewski, and Oscar Valdez were winners on tonight's Garcia-Lopez undercard in Dallas.</p> <p><b>Oscar Valdez TKO-2 Gil Garcia: </b>Valdez, the exciting two-time Olympian, scorched Garcia as expected, scoring a knockdown in round two and then finishing it off after it was pointlessly allowed to continue. I'll guarantee Valdez with zero medals has a much better pro career than two-time gold medalist Zou Shiming.</p>
<p><b>Mikael Zewski UD-8 Damian Frias:</b> Zewski (20-0, 15 KO) started very well, scoring an early knockdown on Frias (19-8-1, 10 KO), but the Cuban made it tougher the rest of the way. Zewski prevailed on scores of 77-74 across the board.</p>
<p><b>Matt Korobov TKO-3 Ossie Duran: </b>I love a good Matt Korobov joke after the years-ago hype and then the, "Wait, what happened to him?" stuff that never included an upset loss or anything, but the 30-year-old middleweight prospect looked really good in this fight. Duran (28-11-2, 11 KO) had never been stopped in his 17-year pro career. This is no joke win. Hopefully, Korobov (20-0, 12 KO) gets a move on now.</p>
<p><b>Tony Lopez KO-4 Jonathan Hernandez: </b>Lopez, 19, was fighting at home in Dallas, and scored a pretty sensational KO in this one against a guy who was there to fight.</p>
<p><b>Vanes Martirosyan TKO-2 Ryan Davis: </b>Your usual Martirosyan mismatch, and hopefully the last we see now that Vanes is with power manager Cameron Dunkin, who has a strong and lengthy relationship with Top Rank. Martirosyan (33-0-1, 21 KO) has talent, but he often is in against guys where showcasing it is ultimately useless. He mows them down, as we know he will. He certainly held his own with Erislandy Lara (despite the fight being a bore) last year.</p>
<p><i><b>Other results:</b> Kurtiss Colvin TKO-5 Angel Sigala ... John Karl Sosa KO-2 Alexis Pena.</i></p>
https://www.badlefthook.com/2013/6/15/4434262/garcia-vs-lopez-results-martirosyan-korobov-zewski-valdez-score-winsScott Christ2013-06-15T18:54:21-04:002013-06-15T18:54:21-04:00Garcia-Lopez: Live results and discussion
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/x2MhtquR7ovZlFsSUuftGGXWxTE=/0x0:878x585/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/14847563/l_117ac6a42ad65c209948ecd6a51e6f2cgarcia_lopez_finalpc_130613_001a.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Chris Farina/Top Rank</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Mikey Garcia takes on Juan Manuel Lopez tonight on HBO, with Terence Crawford facing Alejandro Sanabria in the co-feature.</p> <p>Tonight at 10:45 pm EDT on HBO, Mikey Garcia will face Juan Manuel Lopez in the main event from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, with Terence Crawford facing Alejandro Sanabria in the co-feature.</p>
<p>Garcia (31-0, 26 KO) lost his WBO featherweight title on the scales yesterday, five months after winning the belt from Orlando Salido, who twice beat Lopez (33-2, 30 KO). The title is on the line tonight for Lopez, but Garcia can only leave with his unbeaten record intact with a victory.</p>
<p>Crawford (20-0, 15 KO) looks to win his second bout on HBO airwaves, after making his HBO debut in March with a win over Breidis Prescott. Sanabria (34-1-1, 25 KO) is no pushover, though, and it's very respectable matchmaking.</p>
<p>We'll have live coverage and results tonight starting soon, with the undercard bouts beginning on Top Rank's web site at 7:00 pm EDT (featuring Vanes Martirosyan, Matt Korobov, and Mikael Zewski, among others), and continuing on with the final two bouts on HBO at 10:45. Join us!</p>
https://www.badlefthook.com/2013/6/15/4434052/garcia-vs-lopez-live-streaming-results-and-round-by-round-coverageScott Christ