Canadian Steve Claggett didn’t look too bad on Saturday in his first championship fight, but he still had to admit defeat against American Teófimo López, who won by unanimous decision.
López (22-1, 13 KOs) thus retains his WBO belt in the super-lightweight weight category.
The judges handed down unequivocal verdicts (120-108, 120-108, 119-109) in favor of López, who entered the arena under the flag of Spain, in homage to the nationality of his great- father.
Claggett, a 35-year-old Albertan, was being offered the coveted opportunity he had waited so long for.
True to the style that brought him success, Claggett went on the attack from the first round, staying close to López even if it meant he himself had to take many combinations from a boxer who excels on the counterattack.
Lopez, who is 26, may have landed the target consistently in most rounds, but his ability to significantly shake his opponent seemed less pronounced at 140 pounds than it was at 135, his former weight class.
Claggett (38-8-2, 26 KOs) had won his previous nine fights, a winning streak dating back to 2021. Despite his professional background, he had never fought in a 12-round bout before.
For his part, López had come out of a short retirement announced last February to defend his championship belt against Jamaine Ortiz. His uninspired performance in a victorious cause had left the crowd wanting more.
It was Lopez’s first belt defense since becoming WBO super-lightweight champion.
In the semifinals of this evening’s Top Rank promoter, Robeisy Ramirez sent Brandon Benitez to the canvas with a powerful left uppercut in the seventh round, en route to victory.
Ramirez (14-2, 9 KOs) dominated the entire duel, thus securing his rematch against Rafael Espinoza for the WBA featherweight title.
