By Ian S Palmer
Former world-title challenger Diego Magdaleno of Los Vegas, Nevada will be facing unbeaten prospect and NABF Lightweight Champion Teofimo Lopez of Brooklyn, New York this Saturday, February 2nd. The 10-round bout will be taking place in Frisco, Texas and can be seen live in the USA on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. Fans in the UK can catch it on BoxNation and those in Canada can see it on TSN 3. Magdaleno last fought in September when he beat Jesus Cuadro by a 10-round unanimous decision. Lopez won the vacant title in December by stopping Mason Menard in just 44 seconds.
The 32-year-old Magdaleno, who’s a southpaw, will climb through the ring ropes with an impressive record of 31-2 along with 13 Kos. He rose to the number one ranking in the WBO’s junior lightweight division a few years ago by winning his first 23 pro bouts. This put him in line for a 2013 title shot against WBO Lightweight Champion Rocky Martinez. Magdaleno handled himself well, but came out on the wrong end of a close split decision. However, he has won the NABF Super Featherweight Championship along the way as well as the WBO International Lightweight crown.
Magdaleno had a second shot at a world title in October, 2015, but was stopped by former champion Terry Flanagan in the second round for the WBO Lightweight Belt. Magdaleno stands 5-feet-6-inches tall with a 69-inch reach. He turned pro in 2007, has boxed 201 rounds since then. He doesn’t have much in the way of power with a 39 per cent knockout ratio. His chin isn’t the strongest either as he’s been dropped several times in his career. Magdaleno’s best wins have come against Art Hovhannisyan, Jose Gonzalez, Oscar Bravo, Fernando Beltran, Emmanuel Lucero and Gilberto Sanchez Leon.
Lopez is just 21 years old, but he’s one of the sport’s top prospects right now due to his whirlwind, non-stop style in the ring. He climbs through the ropes with a perfect mark of 11-0 and has 9 Kos to his name. He’s got dynamite in his fists with a current knockout ratio of 82 percent. However, just the sheer volume of punches he throws usually stops his opponents. He’s 5-feet-8-inches tall with a wingspan of 68.5 inches so he’s two inches taller than Magdaleno with more or less the same reach. He turned pro in November of 2016 and has fought just 34 rounds since.
Lopez enjoyed a fine amateur career and fought for Honduras at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro where he lost in the first round. He’s a former national Golden gloves Champion and has had no problem adapting to pro boxing. Lopez simply likes to overwhelm his opponents with as many punches as possible and so far has beaten the likes of Menard, William Silva, Vitor Jones, Juan Pablo Sanchez and Francisco Medel so he’ll be stepping up in class for the first time here against Magdaleno.
Prediction…
Lopez is an extremely talented and confident young man while the veteran Magdaleno is a decade older. Since Magdaleno’s chin isn’t the greatest I think he’s going to have problems here and I’m expecting a 12th straight win for Lopez.
