Damn Mtagwa Lopez

Only just caught this fight tonight and heard Mtagwa did well but I didn't realise he came so close to beating Lopez.

He was totally gone in the last round, if Mtagwa had Froch's finishing skills there is absolutely no doubt Lopez would have been knocked out.

I guess he deserved (just) to win the fight based on the earlier knockdown and rounds in the bank but there is no doubt Mtagwa was the popular winner on Saturday night.

Fantastic fight and great to see a fighter with 12 losses on his record to show such heart and a will to win. I had never heard of him before but he surely won a lot of fans this weekend and if ever there was a call for a rematch this fight is most definitely it.

One of the best fights of the year and I think Lopez's aura of invincibility has been pretty much shattered now. I expect his opponents to push him a lot more from now on.

Credit to Lopez though, he was as done as Jermain Taylor in the last round but somehow found the will and heart to survive.

Top fight, not often I aplaud the little guys but it was a top top fight.

I don't even know if Lopez had an aura of invincibility, Gamboa would have showed up with the intent to wreck him either way.

If anything, and I'm not saying Lopez wasn't taking things seriously enough, but even if he slightly was he should know now that there are bad dudes out there that want his belt and are coming to hurt him. He probably knew that anyway but it was definitely a reminder.

Mtagwa-Villa was a FOTY type fight (he was hurt bad in that fight and came back to KO Villa the next round), he is a rough guy and a good example of a fighter that hasn't made the kind of money he wants to make and is determined.

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Originally Posted by OumaFan

I don't even know if Lopez had an aura of invincibility, Gamboa would have showed up with the intent to wreck him either way.

If anything, and I'm not saying Lopez wasn't taking things seriously enough, but even if he slightly was he should know now that there are bad dudes out there that want his belt and are coming to hurt him. He probably knew that anyway but it was definitely a reminder.

Mtagwa-Villa was a FOTY type fight (he was hurt bad in that fight and came back to KO Villa the next round), he is a rough guy and a good example of a fighter that hasn't made the kind of money he wants to make and is determined.

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I think he did after ko'ing Ponce De Leon in 1 round followed by up by two more 1st round demolitions against Medina and Figaroa. The Penalosa fight maybe showed him as human though but for me now his bubble as been burst. For me last year the stand out super prospects were Lopez, Ortiz and Linares and now none of them look too hot.

Gamboa is exciting to watch and deadly but there is no way he isn't getting knocked out at some point when he steps up imo. His chin is suspect imo and I'm not sure how he'd stand up to a Mtagwa type fighter who was still standing after 6 rounds.

FOTY so far for me & Mtagwa definitely made me a fan. I liked him after the Villa performance, but to do what he did on Saturday against a guy p4p ranked by many was excellent.

Like I said at the time, this was the real Rocky, except judging from the post-fight interviews, Mtagwa speaks more intelligible English than Sylvester Stallone.

I had it 114-113 I think, with a 10-8 round a piece & 1 round even, but like you I came away feeling that Mtagwa was the fans' champion. It was a truly Gattiesque performance

Mtagwa specializes in these kinds of wars. I have seen him fight twice before and he keeps coming all the time all-out. Talk about pressure!

Mtagwa = this generations next Mickey Ward?

fair enough Bilbo, but I think of guys like Floyd having an aura of invincibility, not JML. And I'm not gonna get too down on him, this could help him (or course it might not) and its not like he lost and even then just look at Rafa Marquez, early losses aren't the end of the world, its just that Lopez already has the spotlight whereas Rafa lost in relative anonymity.

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Originally Posted by Bilbo

Only just caught this fight tonight and heard Mtagwa did well but I didn't realise he came so close to beating Lopez.

He was totally gone in the last round, if Mtagwa had Froch's finishing skills there is absolutely no doubt Lopez would have been knocked out.

I guess he deserved (just) to win the fight based on the earlier knockdown and rounds in the bank but there is no doubt Mtagwa was the popular winner on Saturday night.

Fantastic fight and great to see a fighter with 12 losses on his record to show such heart and a will to win. I had never heard of him before but he surely won a lot of fans this weekend and if ever there was a call for a rematch this fight is most definitely it.

One of the best fights of the year and I think Lopez's aura of invincibility has been pretty much shattered now. I expect his opponents to push him a lot more from now on.

Credit to Lopez though, he was as done as Jermain Taylor in the last round but somehow found the will and heart to survive.

Top fight, not often I aplaud the little guys but it was a top top fight.

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Well I'm sure both Lopez and Mtagwa , are both sore as hell after such a war , but such positive words from such a boxing aficionado like you Bilbo will lift the both of them . They are fortunate someone like yourself took the trouble to applaud them. Lopez may still be champion but your words will make both of them feel like winners.

Maybe JuanMa is having trouble making weight? He does plan to move up a class. I wouldnt write him off yet. He showed alot staying up.....

I think it is funny how after the fights people seemed to imply when Gamboa fights Lopez as planned, Gamboa will destroy him based on his rough outing.......Gamboa doesnt have the most solid chin either......

I think with this fight Juanma had to learn something else , first to me to not underestimated any other fighter , saying that going KO him in a 1 round , also follow all the instruction of his corner , now with this fight he will mature more , that fight would looked better if the judges gave the fight as a Draw , IMO Mtagwa made a real damn good fight , he gave Juanma all what he going taste after with other good fighters , so Juanma need now to going reflexion and make corrections to all his flaws and mistakes that he done............