Canadian Steve Claggett lost by unanimous decision in a World Boxing Organization (WBO) championship fight on Saturday. At 35 years old, this was his first opportunity to win a title.
Against Teofimo Lopez, who retains the super-lightweight title, Claggett will never have been in the game. Two judges judged that Teofimo Lopez won all rounds of the duel. The third saw fit to grant one to Claggett.
On the sidelines of the fight, Lopez compared his opponent to Rocky Balboa. He perceived him as eternally neglected, resilient. But above all, he recognized his ability to withstand blows.
“It’s going to be a good fight, I would even say a good brawl,” he predicted. “Steve Claggett, I know he’s going to come out and put pressure on, but he’s not at my level.”
With hindsight, his analysis is almost a premonition.
Resilience
Despite the final verdict, Claggett gave the champion a hard time. Faced with 630 punches, including 282 power punches, he did not flinch.
Lopez was the clear favorite among oddsmakers. So it was relaxed, wearing a fake tuxedo and a gold bow tie that he strutted towards the ring to the tunes of Beat It by Michael Jackson. The crowd at the James L. Knight Center in Miami cheered loudly.
It took more than that to impress Claggett. Thanks to effective footwork, the Canadian managed to limit the champion to the corners of the arena. With little space, Lopez struck with volume, deviating from the style to which he generally accustoms his supporters.
Both fighters threw a lot of punches. But while Claggett was lacking in efficiency, Lopez was consistently hitting the target. So much so that from the third round onwards, Claggett began to take some solid combinations. A story that repeated itself in the following bouts.
By mid-fight, it was clear that a favourable decision was out of reach for the Canadian. Then, around the eighth round, Claggett found himself in serious trouble, after receiving a lightning uppercut. From that moment on, it was no longer a question of victory, but of survival. Survival ensured by constant, energetic movements.
It would be fair to speak of a moral victory for Claggett, who still suffered an eighth defeat. His winning streak is slowed to nine. Lopez, at only 26 years old, increases his record to 21 victories and one defeat.