Soto Wins Welterweight Belt Against Lopez In Mexico

ByBoxing Press

Humberto “Zorrita” Soto proved he is still on top of his game, as he won the World Boxing Federation Welterweight title on Saturday night, November 10, at the Estadio Morelos in Ecatepec, Mexico by dethroning reigning champion Jose “Piston” Lopez by unanimous decision.

Soto, a former world champion at Featherweight, Super Featherweight and Lightweight, got the hard-fought victory by scores of 115-112, 115-11 and 114-112, and improved his already impressive record to 59-8-2(34). Lopez, only 21 years old and with plenty of time to regroup and come back, is now 17-3-1 (10).

The first half of the fight belonged to Soto, but Lopez was always present and made the veteran work hard. In the second half, Lopez had more success but Soto continued to display his formidable movement and combinations to win some rounds.

The new world champion showed superior technique throughout the fast-paced twelve rounds, while Lopez boxed with great determination and at times proved too eager, or frustrated, by landing several low blows on Soto. Referee Juan Jose Ramirez deducted two points from the score of Lopez, but in the end it didn’t affect the outcome.

Also on the card, Jessica Chavez won the World Boxing Federation Interim Women’s Light Flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Thailand’s Kanittha Kokietgym. All three judges scored it a shutout 100-90 for Chavez, who is now 16-3-2 (4). Kokietgym drops to 17-5 (6).

The show was promoted by Promociones Del Pueblo, and televised live in Mexico by Televisa.

Also on Saturday night, but thousands of miles away in Vienne, France, Togo-born Daniel Kodjo Sassou captured the vacant WBF International Super Featherweight title with a unanimous decision over Bulgarian Yordan Vasilev.

Sassou boxed well throughout the ten rounds at the Salle Omnisports, and Vasilev rarely got to land anything of significance. In the end there was no doubt about the outcome, and the fans of the Frenchman could celebrate their new champion who improved his ledger to 32-20-4 (9).