Saturday night was a cold night in New York, but there was plenty of heat in the ring, inside Madison Square Garden, as two of the hottest featherweights in the world displayed their talents and power in seperate bouts.
First, Cuban superstar Yuriorkis Gamboa 17-0 (15KOs) was to take on tough guy, Rogers Mtagwa 26-14-2 (18KOs) in a twelve round bout for the WBA featherweight title. Mtagwa in his last bout gave Juan Manuel Lopez all he could handle in a split decision loss for Lopez's WBO super bantamweight title. Unfortunately for Mtagwa a rise in weight was not a good thing, at least if it is to face a fighter like Gamboa.
From the start of the opening round Gamboa mastered the veteran Mtagwa, landing heavy sharp punches. Gamboa continued through the first drilling Mtagwa finally putting him down at the end of the round.
The second round was the same as Gamboa immediately picked up where he left off in the first. Mtagwa was sent to the canvas two more times before referee Steve Smoger had seen enough and waived the bout off. The official time was 2:35 of the second round. Gamboa who defected from Cuba in 2006 with several Cuban teamates, continues to impress and appears to be on the edge of a superfight with Juan Manuel Lopez.
The main event was somewhat of a coming out party for Juan Manuel Lopez as he was rising from super bantamweight where he defended his WBO belt five times before moving up. His first assignment at featherweight was to challenge WBO champion Steven Luevano 37-2-1 (15KOs).
Luevano a southpaw like Lopez was making his sixth defence and vowed to beat the odds and send Lopez back to Puerto Rico with a loss.
From the opening bell both fighters came out throwin bombs. Juan M. Lopez 28-0 (25KOs)landed the sharper punches and seemed to control the majority of the rounds, but Luevano kept it interesting by getting his own shots in all the way. Finally in the seventh Lopez landed a great uppercut that visably shook Luevano and followed with a barrage that put the defending champion down. Luevano rose on unsteady legs which made it obvious to referee Benji Estevez to call a halt to the bout at :55 of the round.
With the win, "JuanMa" Lopez claims the WBO title and returns home a two time titlest. After the bout when asked about a possible showdown with Yuriorkis Gamboa, Lopez stated he would be willing to fight Gamboa or Rafael Marquez or whoever his team decides.
