Melvin Lopez Aims To Continue Unbeaten Run in Miami
Oct 25, 2019 • 2:54 PM ET
Bantamweight contender Melvin Lopez will face Jose Velasquez tonight at the Miami-Dade County Fair & Expo in Miami, Florida.
The 10-round bout will headline 11-bout M&R Boxing Promotions card.
Lopez (21-0, 12 knockouts), who is originally from Nicaragua and now resides in Miami, last fought on July 26, knocking out Lucas Rafael Baez of Argentina in the opening round. A body shot ended matters at 51 seconds.
The 21-year-old Lopez, who is managed by William Ramirez, is already ranked No. 5 by the WBA.
Velasquez (26-6-2, 18 KOs) will be fighting for the only the second time outside his native Chile. In his last bout on July 5, the 30-year-old Velasquez stopped previously-unbeaten Ramon Averanga in the seventh round.
Velasquez has won his last 18 bouts since losing by split-decision to Robinson Lavinanza in July of 2016. He would avenge the loss to Lavinanza three months later.
Fringe lightweight contender Josec Ruiz will square off against Ramon De La Cruz of Argentina in an eight-round bout.
Ruiz (20-2-3, 14 KOs) is another fighter managed by William Ramirez. The 25-year-old stopped Daulis Prescott in his last bout, also on July 26.
De La Cruz (23-26-3, 13 KOs) has dropped 10 of his last 12 bouts.
Lightweight prospect Antonio Williams (11-0-1, 5 KOs) of Richmond, Texas will face Daulis Prescott (32-13, 24 KOs) in an eight-round bout.
Fringe featherweight contender Alexei Collado (24-2, 21 KOs) of Miami will square off against Argentina’s Matias Arriagada (6-7, 3 KOs) in an eight-round bout.
Once-beaten Mike Plania (21-1, 11 KOs) of the Philippines will face Nicaragua’s Julio Buitrago (13-19, 3 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight bout.
Six more bouts will round out the card.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for Boxingscene since September of 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing
