Page 15 - aruba-today-20201019

A15
sports Monday 19 october 2020
Lopez upsets Lomachenko to unify lightweight titles

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Teo- have gotten otherwise.
fimo Lopez was brash Lomachenko was a 4-1
enough to challenge Vasil- favorite but looked rusty
iy Lomachenko, and good early as he tried to solve
enough to beat him. the style of Lopez. He threw
Lopez dominated early punches only sparingly the
and finished strong Satur- first half of the fight, landing
day night to win a unani- just 31 punches in the first
mous 12-round decision seven rounds, before finally
over Lomachenko to unify picking up the pace in the
the lightweight titles in a eighth round.
fight he demanded even ``I think the first half of the
though some thought fight he got more rounds
he wasn't experienced than I did but in the second
enough. half of the fight I took over,''
Lopez took advantage of a Lomachenko said. ``I was
slow start by Lomachenko much better.''
to build up an early lead, Punch statistics showed
then finished the fight with Lopez landed 183 of 659
a big 12th round that left punches while Lomachen-
Lomachenko bloodied ko was credited with 141 of
and beaten on the score- 321. In the 12th round Lo-
cards. The 23-year-old from pez outlanded Lomachen-
Brooklyn became the uni- ko 50 to 19 and opened
fied lightweight champion up a cut that sent blood
and managed to do what flowing down his face and
few in boxing thought he In this Saturday, April 20, 2019, file photo, Teofimo Lopez, right, punches Finland's Edis Tatli during prompted referee Russell
could do — outbox per- the first round of a NABF lightweight championship boxing match in New York. Mora to stop the fight with
haps the best technician in Associated Press 10 seconds left to have the
boxing. ring doctor look at it before
Lopez (16-0) added the stronger than the 32-year- Lomachenko, ordinarily a fights and had only one loss resuming.
three titles held by Lo- old Lomachenko, who won slow starter, was too slow as a pro, thought he did Lopez was told by his fa-
machenko (15-2) to the two Olympic gold medals this time as he gave away better than the scorecards ther in the corner before
belt he won last year to as an amateur and was rounds early as he tried to indicated. the 12th round that he
become the undisputed regarded as one of the figure out the style of Lo- "Definitely I am not agree- was ahead and not to risk
135-champion. top pound-for-pound fight- pez. By the time the fight ing with the scorecards,"' anything. But he came
Lopez was favored 119- ers as a pro. Surprisingly got competitive in the he said. out strong and beat Lom-
109, 117-111 and 116-112 enough, he was also the eighth round he was too far The fight was the biggest achenko to the punch.
on ringside scorecards in a better boxer and proved behind to come back. since the pandemic began "I didn't know if they had
bout held without fans at he could close the show by "He's been in a 14-month and would have been a him up on the scorecards
the MGM Grand confer- bloodying Lomachenko's layoff,"' Lopez said. "I knew pay-per-view event in nor- or not," Lopez said.
ence center. The Associat- eye in the 12th round. it was going to take him a mal times. But with no fans it Lopez did his trademark
ed Press had Lopez winning "I had to dig deep, man,"' long time to catch up." was televised on ESPN, pro- backflip in the ring after the
117-111. Lopez said. "I'm a fighter, Lomachenko, who lost only viding boxing with a bigger unanimous decision was
Lopez proved faster and I've got to dig in deep." once in nearly 400 amateur showcase than it would announced.

Geoghegan Hart wins Stage 15 of Giro; Almeida still in pink

Geoghegan Hart, a British great influence Nico Portal to finish fourth and remain
rider with the Ineos Grena- had on the team and for in the lead. However, his
diers team, was part of a me in particular. Everyday lead was cut to 15 sec-
trio of riders to reach the we ride, we are remem- onds from Kelderman.
summit finish together and bering him." "It was a very hard stage,
he edged out Team Sun- Almeida collapsed onto the three riders on the front
web pair Wilco Kelderman the ground with exhaustion on the final climb were
and Jai Hindley in a sprint. at the end of the 185-kilo- too fast for me," Almeida
The 25-year-old Geoghe- meter (115-mile) leg from said. "I know my body and
gan Hart pointed to the Codroipo to Piancavallo. my limits, so I had to drop
sky and shouted "Nico" The Portuguese rider had back. "I'm happy to have
as he crossed the line, in made a huge solo chase managed to save the
tribute to Nico Portal, the on the first-category climb Maglia Rosa (pink jersey),
Ineos sports director who to the finish, desperate to once again thanks to my
Britain's Tao Geoghegan Hart celebrates as he crosses the fin- died in March. hold onto the pink jersey. team." Hindley moved into
ish line to win the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, "I can't believe it ... this Almeida's hopes of do- third, 2:56 behind Almeida.
from Rivolto to Piancavallo, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020. team is extraordinary and ing that looked slim when The day started at the Riv-
Associated Press
we are all showing what he was dropped seven olto air base, home to the
PIANCAVALLO, Italy (AP) d'Italia on Sunday, and we're capable of stage by kilometers from the finish Frecce Tricolori aerobatic
— Tao Geoghegan Hart João Almeida held onto stage," Geoghegan Hart on the tough climb with display team and they
sprinted to victory at the the overall leader's pink said after earning Ineos' gradients of 14%, but the put on a show as the rid-
end of the mountainous jersey but saw his advan- fifth stage win of the race. 22-year-old Deceuninck- ers were preparing to set
15th stage of the Giro tage slashed. "Everyone knows what a Quick Step rider managed off.q