BoxRec

Teofimo Lopez-Jamaine Ortiz, Keyshawn Davis-Jose Pedraza To Headline Super Bowl Week Show In Las Vegas On Feb. 8

Top Rank will be leveraging the week leading up to the Super Bowl to stage a super twin billing showcasing some of the top stars from its stable.

The NFL’s marquee championship matchup will take place at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday, Feb. 11, and Top Rank will be presenting a show on Thursday, Feb. 8 on ESPN, most likely at the nearby Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Top Rank boss and Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum told BS.com in an interview on Monday that the main event will feature Teofimo Lopez Jr. looking to defend his WBO junior welterweight title against Jamaine Ortiz, and the co-main event will feature lightweight upstart Keyshawn Davis taking on former two-division titlist Jose Pedraza.

“We have a big platform for Teofimo – the week leading up to the Super Bowl is massive,” said Arum. “That will be a way to advance Teofimo into big, massive fights for the rest of 2024. And then there is the step-up, tough fight for our rising star Keyshawn Davis.”

Arum also noted that fast-rising rising phenoms Emiliano Vargas and Abdullah Mason are also slated to be featured on the undercard.

Top Rank pulled off a similar script during Formula 1 week in Las Vegas earlier this year. On Thursday, Nov. 9, Shakur Stevenson headlined a show against Edwin De Los Santos at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas before the popular car race took over The Strip that weekend.

It’s not the fight against Ryan Garcia that Oscar De La Hoya teased, but Lopez will still be promoted on a grand stage.

The former unified lightweight champion Lopez (19-1, 13 KOs) will be aiming to defend his 140-pound title for the first time since convincingly beating former undisputed junior welterweight champion Josh Taylor in June via unanimous decision.

Ortiz (17-1-1, 8 KOs), meanwhile, will be looking to steady the ship after a turbulent 2023 campaign.

Ortiz is coming off a September unanimous decision win against Antonio Moran. Ortiz was hurt several times in the fight but still pulled off the points win. Ortiz will be making his 140-pound debut against Lopez after having trouble making weight against Moran. Ortiz was also supposed to fight on the Lopez-Taylor undercard but came in overweight and was scratched from the show altogether. Ortiz said a back injury prevented him from properly cutting weight at the time.

Last year looked a lot more promising for the 27-year-old from Worcester, Massachusetts. In October 2022, Ortiz turned in a spirited performance in a close decision loss to Vasiliy Lomachenko. Ortiz also beat Jamel Herring via unanimous decision in May 2022.

The supporting bout will be a showcase opportunity for the 2020 Olympics silver medalist Davis (10-0, 6 KOs) as well.

Davis and Pedraza were supposed to fight Dec. 9 but Davis was suspended by the Texas Commission for a positive marijuana test following his Oct. 14 fight against Nahir Albright. The majority decision win for the 24-year-old Davis was instead changed to a no decision on Oct. 26.

The 34-year-old Pedraza (29-5-1, 14 KOs) is a former 130 and 135 tilist who last fought at lightweight in 2019. The rugged Puerto Rican veteran’s last seven fights have taken place at 140 pounds or above. Pedraza is winless in his last three fights against Jose Ramirez, Richard Commey (split draw), and Arnold Barboza Jr.

Pedraza lost his junior lightweight title to Gervonta Davis in 2017 and lightweight title to Lomachenko in 2018.

Press Release | Teofimo Lopez-Jamaine Ortiz, Keyshawn Davis-Jose Pedraza

Teofimo Lopez will defend his WBO title against Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday, Feb. 8, at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Lopez-Ortiz headlines an action-packed televised doubleheader that kicks off Big Game Weekend.

In the 10-round lightweight co-feature, U.S. Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis faces Puerto Rican former two-division world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Takeover Promotions and CES Boxing, tickets go on sale Friday, Jan. 5 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased at AXS.com.

Lopez-Ortiz and Davis-Pedraza will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

“Teofimo Lopez is among the best fighters in the world and always wants to fight the best available opponent. Jamaine Ortiz is a supreme talent who fits the bill,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “I believe Keyshawn Davis is a future world champion, but you can never count out a skilled two-weight world champion like Jose Pedraza. What a fantastic doubleheader for the fans watching on ESPN and at Michelob ULTRA Arena.”

Lopez (19-1, 13 KOs) captured the IBF lightweight world title by defeating Richard Commey via second-round knockout in December 2019. The following October, he bested pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko to win the WBA, WBO, and WBC Franchise titles. Thirteen months later, he lost the belts via shocking split decision to George Kambosos Jr. The 26-year-old then moved up to junior welterweight in August 2022 with a seventh-round TKO against Pedro Campa and a split decision over Spanish southpaw Sandor Martin that December. In his latest fistic tour de force, Lopez upset former undisputed champion Josh Taylor to capture the WBO and Ring Magazine titles.

Ortiz (17-1-1, 8 KOs), a seven-year pro, secured the NABF lightweight title by outpointing Nahir Albright in February 2022. The Worcester, Massachusetts, native then notched a decision win against former world champion Jamel "Semper Fi" Herring that May and rounded off the year with an exceptional showing against Lomachenko. Ortiz dropped the tightly contested battle to “Loma” by unanimous decision but responded with a one-sided points verdict over Antonio Moran in September.

Davis (9-0, 6 KOs), from Norfolk, Virginia, has graduated from prospect to contender and is inching closer to a world title opportunity. After going 3-0 as a pro, he captured a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics. In November 2021, he signed a long-term promotional contract with Top Rank and has since tallied six victories. He had an active 2023 in which he stopped Anthony Yigit via ninth-round TKO in April and shut out Francesco Patera by 10-round decision in July. In October, he bested Philadelphia-born contender Nahir Albright by majority decision that was later ruled a no contest by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation due to a positive marijuana test.

Pedraza (29-5-1, 14 KOs), from Cidra, Puerto Rico, won the IBF junior lightweight world title against Andrey Klimov in June 2015 and made title defenses against Edner Cherry and Stephen Smith. He captured the WBO lightweight world title against Rey Beltran in August 2018. After losing the title in a unification showdown against Lomachenko, he moved up to 140 pounds, where he a faced the likes of Jose Zepeda, Jose Ramirez, Richard Commey, Lindolfo Delgado and Arnold Barboza Jr. Pedraza returns to the lightweight division in hopes of another world title run.

The ESPN+-streamed undercard features a gamut of up-and-coming talents.

19-year-old lightweight phenom, Emiliano Fernando Vargas (8-0, 7 KOs), son of former junior middleweight world champion Fernando Vargas, will see action in a six-round clash against Tomas Ornelas (7-3, 5 KOs). Vargas went 6-0 with five knockouts in his sophomore year as a pro and is coming off a second-round destruction of Brandon Mendoza in November at T-Mobile Arena.

Lightweight prodigy Abdullah Mason (11-0, 9 KOs) will fight Benjamin Gurment (8-0-3, 5 KOs) in his first scheduled eight-rounder. Mason will look to capitalize on his 5-0 2023 campaign, which included a second-round TKO versus Jose Cardenas in November.

Unbeaten middleweight Javier "Milwaukee Made" Martinez (9-0-1, 3 KOs) will take on Raul Salomon (12-2, 10 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Martinez dropped Isaiah Wise three times en route to a first-round knockout in November.

Former Team USA amateur standout Charlie Sheehy (8-0, 5 KOs) will step up to the eight-round distance for the first time. Sheehy vanquished Jesus Vasquez Jr. by unanimous decision in November.

Unbeaten lightweight prospect Alan “Kid Kansas” Garcia (10-0, 8 KOs), the power-punching dynamo from Ulysses, Kansas, sees action in a six-rounder.

Former national amateur champion Art Barrera Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs) returns to the ring in a four-round junior welterweight fight.

Average main event. I don’t mind these kind of fights if guys are fighting 4 times a year but the chances are that Teo only fights twice.

anyone know if Vargas Jr is good?

Lopez was back to his best against Taylor, Ortiz ran Lomachenko close, knowing Lopez's history, this is exactly the type of fight he can lose, if he fights on the level he did against Kambosos and Martin then Ortiz might trump him

Fight Week!!

maverick23 wrote: ↑05 Jan 2024, 10:13 Average main event. I don’t mind these kind of fights if guys are fighting 4 times a year but the chances are that Teo only fights twice.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say he doesn't fight again this year.

handsofstone wrote: ↑04 Feb 2024, 12:41 Lopez was back to his best against Taylor, Ortiz ran Lomachenko close, knowing Lopez's history, this is exactly the type of fight he can lose, if he fights on the level he did against Kambosos and Martin then Ortiz might trump him

Agree with this, Lopez has underperformed more than once when seemingly a clear favourite pre-fight & Ortiz is a fairly solid contender who will take confidence from his opponent’s previous negligence vs ‘lesser’ fighters.

If Teo boxes with the focus & skill he showed against Taylor he will get the job done but if he’s under par again I could see this being relatively close. Nice to have a bonus fight on through the week!

Fight Night !!

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑08 Feb 2024, 05:17 Fight Night !!

forgot about this, nice watch tomorrow.

Date: Thursday February 8, 2024
Location: Michelob Ultra Arena - Las Vegas, NV
TV/Stream: ESPN

Start Times
ESPN+: 6:25 pm ET | 3:25 pm | 11:35 pm GMT (Preliminary Card)
ESPN: 10:30 pm ET | 7:30 pm PT (Main Card)
Sky Sports: 1:30 am GMT (Main Card)

Promoted by: Top Rank Inc.

Main Card

WBO Super Lightweight Championship
Teofimo Lopez vs. Jamaine Ortiz

10 Round Lightweight Bout
Keyshawn Davis vs. Jose Pedraza

Preliminary Card

8 Round Lightweight Bout
George Acosta vs. Rene Tellez Giron

8 Round Middleweight Bout
Javier Martinez vs. Raul Salomon

8 Round Super Lightweight Bout
Abdullah Mason vs. Benjamin Gurment

8 Round Lightweight Bout
Charlie Sheehy vs. Abdel Sauceda

6 Round Super Lightweight Bout
Alan Garcia vs. Tomas Ornelas

4 Round Super Lightweight Bout
Art Barrera Jr. vs. Michael Portales

6 Round Heavyweight Bout
Antonio Zepeda vs. Lemir Isom-Riley

That fight reminded me of Froch v Dirrell in which the champ was ineffectual coming forward while the challenger was elusive but not really doing enough offensively.

I didn't score it but would have been ok with a draw or a round either way.

As usual people are outraged because the big underdog did better than expected.

CompuBox Stats



Teofimo Lopez averaged 12 power punches thrown over the first five rounds while Jamaine Ortiz averaged 19. Over the next six rounds Lopez came on, averaging 18 power punches thrown per round while Ortiz averaged 15.

In the final round, Lopez threw a fight high 36 power punches. The combatants landed the exact same amount of punches in four of the twelve rounds.

Going to watch this today. BBC sport said it was an unpopular decision so who knows. Has anyone on here watched it?

Wouldlnt bother.

Lopez looked dreadful, scorecards were a joke, Ortiz looked at times like he could keep his foot on the gas and win it, but he didn't...

Waste of time all round.

Oiky wrote: ↑09 Feb 2024, 06:39 Wouldlnt bother.

Lopez looked dreadful, scorecards were a joke, Ortiz looked at times like he could keep his foot on the gas and win it, but he didn't...

Waste of time all round.

hahahaah fair enough Oiky. I think I'll grab a bit in-between the GBM fights tonight. Or leave it til late to help me sleep!

First round with Ortiz skittering away you immediately knew this was gonna be on repeat for the next 11 rounds. I fell into a trance so didn’t score it, but anyone who wanted to give that to Ortiz needs their head examined, because nobody wants to watch that guy again.

odd fighter isn't he, can be good to watch then dire

TL is about as inconsistent as anyone. Talking Fury levels.

Hopefully someone out there seen this and thinks they can batter him now and the fight gets signed then Lopez takes it serious.

SeanBrennan wrote: ↑09 Feb 2024, 07:27

Oiky wrote: ↑09 Feb 2024, 06:39 Wouldlnt bother.

Lopez looked dreadful, scorecards were a joke, Ortiz looked at times like he could keep his foot on the gas and win it, but he didn't...

Waste of time all round.

hahahaah fair enough Oiky. I think I'll grab a bit in-between the GBM fights tonight. Or leave it til late to help me sleep!

Leave it til late

How can we watch GBM tonight, youtube? There's a GBM card tomorrow aswell isn't there?

115-114 Ortiz but as bad as a fight as it gets, brutal to score, slim pickings, Lopez was on the front foot always but it was anything but effective aggression, he barely landed a meaningful punch all fight, it was woeful from someone with his credentials, Ortiz probably landed the better punches but we're talking single digits, far too negative, just ran at times without throwing, both were horrendous, even though I thought Ortiz nicked it they scores could've been anything as neither man can stake a solid claim to win, the 117-111 Lopez card doesn't even bother me, nearly every round was a toss up, who was less sh1t

Oiky wrote: ↑09 Feb 2024, 12:07

SeanBrennan wrote: ↑09 Feb 2024, 07:27

Oiky wrote: ↑09 Feb 2024, 06:39 Wouldlnt bother.

Lopez looked dreadful, scorecards were a joke, Ortiz looked at times like he could keep his foot on the gas and win it, but he didn't...

Waste of time all round.

hahahaah fair enough Oiky. I think I'll grab a bit in-between the GBM fights tonight. Or leave it til late to help me sleep!

Leave it til late

How can we watch GBM tonight, youtube? There's a GBM card tomorrow aswell isn't there?

here buddy